


Never Letting Go

by peggyrogers



Series: the carter-rogers saga [1]
Category: Agent Carter (TV), Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Drama & Romance, F/M, Gen, Mentions of Rape, NOT a love triangle, Past Peggysous, Steggy Have a Son
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-22
Updated: 2017-03-26
Packaged: 2018-08-10 10:42:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 33
Words: 145,930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7841614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peggyrogers/pseuds/peggyrogers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Peggy Carter was kidnapped and killed in 1956. Leaving behind her husband and children. One being the son that she and Steve Rogers had from their relationship in the war. </p><p>2010 and Noah Carter is now a respected Agent of SHIELD to carry his parents torch. Now he must come to terms with meeting his 'real father' as Captain America has been unfrozen from the ice. Along with Steve's return, a big secret is accidentally let slip which leads to Noah believing that his mother's death isn't what it seems.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_24th December, 1956_

_“Looks like I’m gonna be here longer than planned”_

_Peggy sighed through her telephone, stood in the hallway of their home. Peggy looked over her shoulder to the living room as Christmas songs played in the background, she turned back and looked to the table “You promised them that you’d be home earlier with it being Christmas”_

_“I know, hon, but what can I do? Jack insists that I need to help him with all of this”_

_Peggy crossed her arms and leaned against the table, keeping her eyes locked on the living room, then hearing Daniel add on “Just tell them I’m sorry, we'll have all day tomorrow together”_

_Peggy rubbed her lips together, glancing down at her shoes for a moment she nodded as she lifted her head again, letting out a small sigh “Okay. But it’s not just our children who miss you”_

_Daniel let out a small chuckle “Quit taking early nights then”_

_“And make Angie have longer hours babysitting?”_

_“Fair point, motherhood has made you gone soft”_

_“Oh shut up and please try to be quick, love?” Peggy stood back up straight and turned to the table._

_“Alright, I’ll see you soon. I love you”_

_“I love you too” Peggy whispered, then hanging the phone up. She turned and looked to her son and daughter sat on the couch, in front of the fire. With the Christmas tree to the far side of them. Peggy pulled her jumper sleeves and covered her hands as she walked into the living room and sat next to her two children as they bickered about something._

_“Mommy!” Her five year old daughter, Evelyn spun around to her. Peggy took hold of her cup of tea and wrapped her hands around it, she raised her eyebrows to her “Yes, darling?”_

_“Why does Noah have blue eyes when you and daddy have brown?” Peggy looked at her ten year old, who just shrugged as he sipped on his hot coco and stared at the fire. He had never given it much thought or questioned it. Which Peggy was thankful for._

_Peggy ran her fingers through Evelyn’s hair “Matter of science, Eve, I’m not quite sure how it works out”_

_Evelyn shrugged and sat back in the couch, she turned to Noah and held out her hand “Can I have some of you coco?” Noah looked up and saw Peggy raise an eyebrow to him. Noah sighed and passed her his mug “It’s hot”_

_As Evelyn took hold of the mug, he looked up to Peggy and said “Dad isn’t coming home early tonight then?”_

_Peggy then saw how the five year old eye’s also flickered to her. Peggy cleared her throat and rested her head in her hand that leaned against the spine of the couch “Not tonight, he says he’s sorry. But he’ll be here when you wake up tomorrow, we’ll, all open your presents you’ve got from Santa and then play some games before Auntie Angie and the rest of them come for dinner” Peggy said, beaming her eyes to Evelyn to get her excited. Which worked._

_Peggy looked up to Noah and nodded as stretched her arm over and stroked his cheek “Promise”_

_Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Just one bang against the door. A bang that is not used by any of her friends. Peggy’s head snapped to the door. Noah stood up and went to walk to the door before Peggy stuck her arm out and put him to a halt, she looked at him and sternly shook her head “Do not go to the door”_

_“Why? It could be Auntie Angie”_

_“Auntie Angie is working a late shift at the automat, Howard is in another country Ana and Jarvis are back in Los Angeles. Neither are back until tomorrow”_

_Noah shrugged “Maybe it’s your commando buddies”_

_Peggy shook her head “They don’t knock” she looked back to the door, she remained silent for a moment. Peggy slowly stood up and took hold of Evelyn’s hand and stood her up. She pointed to the stairs and whispered “Get up the stairs, get up the stairs now”_

_Noah grabbed Evelyn’s hand and ran with her to the stairs. Peggy walked over to the draw and took out her gun. Peggy went to the wall and peered around the corner, looking down the hall and looked through the front window of her house. All she saw was a three shadowed figures walking past. A certain shine reflecting from one of them. But she didn’t see their faces, all she knew is that whoever they were. They were no friends of hers._

_First, she had to attend to her children. Howard had a panic room installed their house upstairs and down the hall. Peggy put her gun in the waistline of her belt as she walked over to them. Guns scare Evelyn. Peggy held her hand up to them and whispered “Okay. I want you both to go down the hall, into the safe room, the number for the office is in there, call daddy and tell him I need him”_

_“Momma who are they?” Noah whispered with fear in his eyes. Peggy shook her head and whispered back “No-one we are friends with. Whoever they are, they are dangerous and I want you to take your sister into the room and be safe. Do not come out until I or dad comes to you, understood?”_

_Both Noah and Evelyn nodded. The five year old girl had tears in her eyes, running down her cheeks which Peggy quickly wiped before kissing her forehead and stroking her cheek “It’s going to be okay” she looked at them and said “I love you both”_

_Peggy rubbed Evelyn’s back as she ran down the hall and to the panic room. Peggy gripped onto the back of Noah’s hair and pressed their foreheads together before kissing his cheek “Everything I have ever done, is to protect you”_

_“You’re talking like you’re saying goodbye” Noah whimpered._

_“I’m not. I’m just telling you because...because I needed you to know” Peggy rubbed his shoulders and took a deep breath, then nodding down the hall “Now go on”_

_Noah obeyed, before running, he looked up and with luck. He saw one of the men’s face outside. Peggy was right, they didn’t know him. But he made sure he’d remember this face, so if anything happened to Peggy, god forbid it didn’t but if it did. He could help find the ones responsible, even if nothing happened to Peggy, seeing his face could help in general should they start an investigation. Noah soon turned and ran down the hall._

_Peggy stared at him and whispered for only herself to hear “You’re so much like your father”_

_And she wasn’t talking about Daniel._

_Peggy took a deep breath and stepped back down the stairs and took a gun out of her waistline again, she pulled back the hammer of her gun, preparing herself. Looking outside the window. She saw that shine once again. A man. Peggy heard a creak behind her, further down the hall and in the kitchen. Then she remembered, the back door was left unlocked because the children were playing out in the snow earlier on. Without a doubt, one of the men she saw earlier was now in the house. Not taking her eyes off of the front for a moment. Peggy took backward steps to the kitchen, then turning around with her gun pointing up as soon as she got in the kitchen. It was dark, she could hardly see a damn thing._

_There was no sign of anyone, if it weren’t for the drops of water on the tiled floor due to the snow melting, she would have thought they were still outside. But at least one of them were in the house. Peggy took steps back again. Suddenly, two big built arms wrapped around her neck from behind. Peggy gasped and dug her nails in his arms, kicking him in the groin and elbowing his stomach. All the techniques she used to break out of a lock that usually worked didn’t this time. Not on this man. He gripped onto her wrist hard. Peggy let out a painful gasp and was forced to drop the gun._

_The man gripped on the back of her hair and banged her head against the counter, causing blood to run down the side of her head and fell to her knees. Not being able to shake off the blow to her head. He kicked her down on the floor. Peggy heard the man grumble something in russian as the two other men approached._

_From what her jumbled brain gathered, he asked if ‘she was the one?’ then heard another man to nod and say ‘yes’_

_Peggy pressed her hands down on the floor and tried to push herself up. She looked up to the two men in front of her whilst the man who knocked her down remained behind her. She went to stand up only to get a blow to the back of her head._

_Then. Everything went black._

**56 years later…**

Maria Hill walked down the halls of shield. Every agent not daring to look her in the eyes. All except one. Maria stopped, she wanted to speak to them anyway so it’s good that they aren’t afraid of her “Agent Carter”

Noah smirked as he stirred the tea bag in his drink before putting it in the bin and taking the hot beverage to his lips “Agent Hill”

“You’re needed by Fury”

Noah shrugged “Any specific reason?”

“Yes” Maria said bluntly. Motioning her hand to down the hall “So don’t keep him waiting”

Noah watched as she began to walk away. Noah smirked, looking down at his tea before taking a sip again he said “You know, you never got back to me about that drink?” he then began to follow her. Not seeing her roll her eyes as she walked ahead of him but knew for a fact that she did it.

“I’ve told you once. I don’t mix business with pleasure”

Noah shrugged “New year, new leaf and all”

“Tell me, Agent Carter where did you get these terrible one liners? I can’t think of it being from your mother” Maria remarked as she pushed the elevator button. Noah nodded and shrugged “You’re right. Got all that from my godfather”

Then hearing her scoff and mutter “Of course. Stark. Well I hate to burst your confident little bubble but it won’t work on me” she looked to him as the doors opened and raised her eyebrows to him “Perhaps I’m just too old for you”

Noah laughed and stepped in the elevator with her, shaking his head “No-one is too old for me remember? After all. I am sixty six”

Maria glanced to him. She sometimes forgets about his background. Not the part in his mother being the original founder of shield. That she remembers perfectly. But the part where he is Steve Rogers aka Captain America’s son. That part she forgets. Noah’s aging came to a halt when he hit twenty six. It’s not a life he chose, hell it’s not a life he wanted.

Noah wanted nothing more than to be an agent of shield, to fulfill his mother and father’s, _Daniel Sousa’s_ legacy, grow old gracefully with a wife and surrounded by grandchildren. But no, that wouldn’t happen. Sure, Noah fancied Maria Hill. But he couldn’t go into a relationship. He’d be too scared. So he had to live of having a flirt here and there. The elevator doors opened, Noah turned to her “I can show myself to his office, you know?”

“And _my_ office is on the same floor as his. _You know_?”

Noah clicked his gum and shook his head as he turned “Jeez, when is Natasha back in town. At least with her she isn’t so icey”

“Lucky for me, she’s back this tomorrow”

“Lucky for you?”

“Your bad one liners will finally go onto someone else. And least you two make a more suitable match” Maria sighed “Scientifically speaking” turning a corner from him to go to her own office, Noah leaned back and watched her walk down the hall “Nah she's too good for me..you on the other hand" he laughed at the glare he got, he was just teasing, he'd never get a girl like Hill in a million years "A pleasure, Agent Hill”

The only reply he got from her was a wave of the hand. That was his entertainment for the day. Noah was allowed to be the charismatic, _jack the lad_ because he was just so damn good at his job. Being the son of Peggy Carter, Daniel Sousa _and_ Steve Rogers really paid off. Noah pushed open the doors and saw Nick looking out the window like he always does.

“Sir. You sent Hill to fetch me, I believe”

“I did” Nick nodded, turning around, with his hands behind his back. Again like he always does. He motioned to the chair on the other side of his desk before sitting in his own “Take a seat, Agent”

Noah walked over to the chair and sat himself down, comfortably leaning back in the chair and looking to Nick. Nick linked his hands together and placed them on the desk as he sat up straight. Leading Noah to think this was going to be more serious than initially thought. It caused Noah to then sit up “Sir?”

Nick looked down to the desk and shook his head “Agent Carter, I know you don’t like talking about your father-”

“That’s not true” Noah shook his head. Nick looked up to Noah and shook his head once again “I am not talking about Daniel Sousa”

Noah’s face dropped, he sat back in his chair “Oh. _Him_ ”

Noah never speaks of Steve. He never mentions he is the son of the _Great Captain America_. As far as he was concerned Daniel was his dad. He raised him right alongside Peggy. Until she was kidnapped that night on the 24th of December in 1956. _Killed_. Daniel and Evelyn was all he had left. Losing Peggy destroyed Noah, they were so close. The way he was, being charismatic and joking all of the time was a way of still dealing with his grief and anger. In Noah’s eyes, Steve did nothing for him. He wasn’t his father, not really. The father he had was the one who fed, bathed, clothed and loved him.

“Yes, Captain Steven Grant Rogers”

“I know what his name is” Noah said, rather sharply “Question I have is what has he got to do with me being in your office?”

“Your father-”

“Sir. Steve Rogers is not my father. Biologically yes. But the man died long before I was born. I didn’t know him, I didn’t know he was my father till I was eighteen”

Nick held his hands up “Okay, okay, Noah”

“What’s this about, Nick?” Noah asked, leaning his arms down on his legs and clutching his hands together. Nick sometimes forgets that Noah was already  within this organisation when Nick first started. The director job was offered to him once, but Noah preferred field work. He knew Peggy did regardless what she said. He knew that she missed the action. Sometimes he regrets not taking the role. But who would take orders off a man who looked as young as he did. Authority comes with age. And age is through looks.

“I know that talking about all of this is a sensitive subject for you, because it reminds you of your mother and what happened to her. But there’s something important that you need to know about Steve Rogers”

Noah shrugged and raised his eyebrows “Alright. What?”

Nick waited for a moment. A dramatic pause as Noah said in his mind as he waited. Literally on the edge of his seat, his foot tapping away. Nick took a breath and took his eye to Noah “We found his plane wreck...along with his body”

“Okay? Is that it?” Noah went to stand up, but Nick stuck his hand out and shook his head “No, that’s not it. We found his body, he was frozen solid in ice, as we thawed him out...we found a pulse”

Noah slowly sat back down. His heat began to beat faster than it’s usual rate. He stared at Nick for moment, in complete silence, he cleared his throat “You’re saying he’s alive?”

“Yes, that’s what I’m saying”

Noah sighed, he crossed his arms and leaned back in the chair. Looking out the window he nodded “Right”

“I know it’s a big thing to get your head around. He’s being put in a recovery unit within the building later on today. He’s unconscious. We don’t know when he’ll wake up but you clearly had a right to know”

Noah nodded. He was grateful for being told instead of finding out through the grapevine. Noah sniffed up, he rubbed his palms together and cleared his throat “Right. Well. Thank you for letting me know”

“If you want to see him. You can”

Noah turned to Nick and shrugged “Okay”

Obviously he wasn’t going to pour his heart out to his superior on his _daddy issues_.  Noah said nothing more, he stepped outside of Nick’s office and carried on walking down the hall. He got out his phone and scrolled through his contacts. As the phone rang, he put the phone to his ear and waited.

_“Hey stranger”_

“Did you know?”

_“Jeez I've missed you too. Know what?”_

“Quit the bullshit, Nat, did you know that Steve Rogers is alive?” Noah heard Natasha sigh over the phone, her voice cracked, her words jammed in her throat as she tried to get them out _“I-I...I heard they found his wreck. Then Barton found out through the grapevine that he survived, because of the serum and all”_

“When did you find out?”

_“Only last night. I swear”_

Noah shook his head as he walked down the hall, still on the phone “My life was a whole lot easier when he was dead”

_“Oh come on. You can’t resent him for saving the world. He’s your dad”_

Noah stopped down the hall and felt his pulse get faster as his blood began to slowly boil again, he just groaned and carried on walking down the hall.

_“I’m sorry. I know your dad was Daniel...but whats wrong with having a dad again? Daniel’s been dead for what? Thirty eight years?”_

“So?”

It fell silent for a moment _“Look we’ll talk about this tomorrow when I get back. You’re pissed right now so. Just go and cool off”_

Noah took a deep breath, putting his hand on his hip and looked down to the floor he nodded. Then hanging up, he carried on walking to the elevator. His day was starting off so well. He wasn’t some horrible bastard who wished he was dead. Steve had survived, anyone should be and would be happy about that. But it would turn his world upside down. What could he do? Steve would find out Noah was Peggy Carter’s son. Even if he lied to him, he would find out eventually, he could never keep it a secret. Plus after working that out, he’d work out that Noah looked much younger than he should be. Plus those eyes.

Peggy wasn’t there to tell him what Steve was like. She was taken long before she had the chance to tell him anything. It was Daniel who had to tell him everything. When he turned eighteen, just like he and Peggy had planned since the day they settled down together.

* * *

Noah kept himself to himself throughout the whole day. It had obviously struck everyone that Noah had been given the news. He was quiet, which wasn’t like him at all. This news had obviously really struck a nerve with him. It was playing on his mind. So much that he asked his cousin, Sharon Carter to take his shift.

“Yes of course I will...Noah, are you okay?”

“Why? Don’t I look it?” Noah said with an exhausted smile. Sharon tilted her head before slowly shaking it, scrunching her nose up ever so slightly to him. Noah let out a small laugh and rubbed his eyes.

“You look exhausted” Sharon added on. Noah muttered another laugh under his breath “Well thanks. Seems my plans of going out to a bar is off”

“You have a drink inside your apartment. What you _really_ need is a sleep”

“Well that’s true” he nodded, slipping his jacket on and flipping his collar straight. Sharon walked into his office and patted his back as he walked to the door “Thanks, Sharon”

“Don’t mention it. Just know that you owe me”

Noah laughed “I always owe you”

“Goodnight”

“Night night” Noah smiled before walking down the hall and leaving the building.

Noah’s apartment wasn’t far from the  shield building. A fifteen minute drive, if even that. He lived in the same apartment building as Sharon. Just a floor above her. She and Noah were quite a close unit. After all, she was almost the only family he had left. Well, now he could consider having another one added. Noah opened the door to his apartment and stepped inside his home. He put on his record player as he walked through the living room and into the kitchen. He opened the fridge and took out a bottle of _budweiser_ twisting the metal cap off with his bare hands before swigging it down. The picture frame on his side table caught his eye. Noah roughly rubbed his lips together and walked over to the table. Picking up the frame and staring at it.

The black and white photograph of Noah and Peggy, when he was at the age of five. With a toy airplane in his hand that he and Daniel built together. They were in the park. Noah was sat on Peggy’s lap, with her arms wrapped around his waist, her head leaning against his and grinning just as much as he was.

Noah felt himself getting upset. He missed her everyday, you would have thought 54 years would have made things easier. But it doesn’t, not at all. He grew up believing Peggy and him were a team. He never trusted anyone as much as he trusted her. He is still like that, with one exception.

Losing Peggy the way he did at such a young age messed him up through his young stage of life. As a teenager he was lucky he wasn’t killed a few times by the situations he got himself into. Drugs, violence. Daniel had to pick him up every time and tried to guide him. When Noah found out the truth about who his _real_ father was that just made him worse.  It wasn’t till he ended up in hospital when he was twenty one, seeing how lucky he was to not dying made him realize that he was going in the wrong direction. Peggy died protecting him and Evelyn. He realized that what he was doing was disrespecting her sacrifice, that was when he got his ass into gear and joined shield. Noah took a deep breath and muttered as he put the photo back down “Jesus Christ, mom”

He took another swig of his beer, glancing at the other family photos that were scattered over the shelf. One of Peggy and Daniel on their wedding day which always made him smile and feel warm inside. Noah took himself over to the couch. He slouched down in the corner of the couch and stared into the corner of his room.

_Noah kept his arms around Evelyn as they stayed silent in the panic aka safe room that Peggy calls to not scare Evelyn. The five year old shifted ever so slightly and looked up to Noah “What do you think has happened to mommy?”_

_Noah looked down to her and shook his head “Nothing, Eve, nothing...you know mom, she can handle anything right? I called dad and he won’t be long either. So she’ll have back up”_

_Evelyn nodded at his words and felt a little more at rest. He always knew what to say. Just like Peggy did. They had been in there for approximately fifteen minutes. Noah wasn’t quite so sure what was taking so long. It felt like they’d been in there for hours. All of a sudden. They heard a man shouting. Daniel. Noah stood up and walked over to the door “Dad?! Dad!”_

_Noah heard the click of Daniel’s crutch as he made his way up the stairs and down the hall._

_“Noah…”_

_He sounded odd. His voice wasn’t as reassuring as it usually was. Noah gulped heavily “Dad is it safe to come out?”_

_“Yeah, bud” he said in a shaky voice. Noah walked over to the control pad and pushed the release button. The door opened, Noah looked to Daniel and saw the destroyed look on his face that made his blood run cold. Noah gulped heavily and looked downstairs to see Jack Thompson at the bottom of the stairs, with his head in his hand. Noah took his eyes back to Daniel “Where’s mom?”_

_Daniel didn’t respond, in fact he just avoided eye contact. Causing Noah to panic even more “Dad...where is she?!”_

Noah leaned forward to his coffee table and grabbed a cigarette from his packet. Like Peggy, Noah fell into the habit of stress smoking. But unlike Peggy, Noah isn’t affected badly, the serum protects him from all the shit. There was a knock on the door, Noah put the lit cigarette in his mouth and walked over to the door. He opened his front door and looked at the friendly face, confused. Noah took the cigarette out of his mouth “What are you doing here?”

Natasha held up the bag in her hand “Brought your favorite. Let’s call it comfort food” she pushed the bag against his stomach and raised her eyebrows “You going to let me in?”

Noah took hold of the bag and stepped to the side “Weren’t you in-”

“Rio. Yeah. But after our little conversation earlier on I took an early flight” Natasha said as she stepped into the room, pointing to the cigarette in his hand “Bad habit”

“They don’t kill _me_ ”

“Serum can’t protect you from the smell”

Noah laughed, he inhaled one last drag before crushing it in the ash tray, holding up his hands as he followed her to the living room “It’s only when I feel stressed”

“I know I know. Don’t blame you” Natasha patted the space next to her on the couch as she grabbed the controllers of Noah’s _Playstation 4_ “Where were we up to on Uncharted? It’s my turn”

“We just got to leaving Scotland” Noah said, sitting down beside her and breaking open the bag to unpack the food, hearing her say “Yeah that was hard”

“Hard for me. I’m the one who did it” Noah muttered with a smirk. Taking out a prawn cracker and chewing on it as he sat back and watched her. Natasha glanced to him “So. Do you think you’re going to see him?”

“He’s basically in a coma who knows when he’ll wake up”

“Well. _When_ he does then”

“Suppose I’ll have to. He’s gonna find out...he’ll want to know about my mom for sure...shooter to your left”

Natasha shot the guy Noah warned her about and paused the game as she looked to him “What will you tell him?”

“That she’s dead” Noah muttered, leaning forward again and passing Natasha a spring roll as he took one for himself. Natasha stared at him “That’s all you’ll say? That she’s dead?”

“Does he need to know the ins and outs?”

“Yes, Noah”

“Why?!” Noah scoffed.

“Because he was in love with her. She loved him at one point too”

Noah looked away from her. She watched at his jaw clenched and shook her head “Don’t you clench your jaw at me”

“God. Even you’re beginning to sound like her” Noah whispered, standing up and grabbing hold of the empty beer bottle to go and grab more.

“Good. Maybe it will give you the kick up the ass you need”

Natasha returned to playing the game as she heard Noah rustle around in the kitchen and hearing him all “She’d have liked you with that attitude” Natasha nodded and smirked as she locked her eyes on to the screen. Noah walked back to the living room and pushed a bottle of beer on her side and drank more of his own as he watched her play. Taking a deep breath, he cleared his throat and said as he rubbed his forehead “Listen I’ll deal with that shit when he wakes up but for now can you fulfill your job as the best friend and just take my mind off of it”

Natasha glanced to him and rolled her eyes “Sure. Question though, does this job require me to sleep with you to take your mind off of it”

Noah let out a belly shaking chuckle and teased back “Not this time”

Natasha let out an amused grin and glanced to him “It’ll be alright Noah” she ruffled his head before pushing it to the side. Noah smiled to her and then looked over to the hung photograph of the original shield building. Peggy’s back turned as Daniel took the photo.

It just made him think.

Whether he liked it or not. He was going to meet his father.


	2. Chapter 2

********Steve remained in a sleep for a matter of three weeks. During those three weeks. Noah visited him on only three occasions before returning back to DC once again. He always takes the journey back to DC to stay at his apartment over getting two of them. The jet get’s him in half an hour anyway so it wasn’t really a treck. He visited the New York HQ often and decided to see Steve when he was there.

First time he went, he didn’t say anything. He just stared at him. Scanning every detail of his face. To try and see if he did really look like him. Of course Daniel showed him pictures when Noah was told the truth, but there was a difference between a picture and in the flesh. Noah stayed for an hour the first time, just sitting in a chair and staring at him.

The second time he went. The doctors advised that he spoke to Steve. But he didn’t have much to say. He didn’t know the man. All they shared was blood. So the second time, he only stayed for half an hour. Then the third time he only stayed for twenty maximum. Until he had gotten the news three days later that Steve Rogers had woken up. Broke out of the recovery room and was taken into Nick Fury’s office this time in DC and was being asked to join them. Natasha turned to him “I can come with you-”

“No. Stay here” Noah softly demanded with a faint smile before making his own way up to Nick’s office. Maria watched him walk away and looked to Natasha “Nick hasn’t said anything to Rogers about him”

“So Noah is going to have to break the news?” Natasha raised her eyebrows, with her arms crossed, Maria just nodded. Natasha glanced to him walk in the elevator and turned to the coffee machine “Might do him good. He’s been closed up about it”

Noah stood in the elevator and rubbed the palm of his hands together, staring down at them. Another memory began to replay in his head.

_“Sit down” Daniel said softly, rubbing Noah’s shoulder as he walked over to the chair opposite to him. Eighteen year old Noah sighed and sat down opposite Daniel. Thinking that it was just going to be some kind of lecture. But as soon as he looked at Daniel, he could tell that it was different._

_“Noah...there’s something that-something that we-I need to tell you”_

_Noah shrugged “Alright?”_

_Daniel took a breath and rubbed his lips together, he gulped heavily and took his eyes to Noah “Listen, I...your mom and I had planned on doing this together. Telling you this together”_

_“Tell me what?”_

_Noah could see that Daniel’s hands were shaking. He looked up back to Daniel “Dad”_

_“All you’ve ever remembered in your life, is me and your mom being together. All you’ve ever known as a dad is me. And I am. I am your dad. It’s just that” he sighed, feeling himself totally screwing this up. If Peggy was here, she would have taken the reins. She would have been better at this. He was only making Noah more nervous “Noah your mother and I got together when you were two”_

_Noah’s eyebrows pinched together, he shook his head “No...no cause that means-”_

_“I’m...I’m not your ‘real’ dad”_

The elevator doors opened, Noah looked up and walked down the hall.

_“Your mom fell in love with someone in the war, they fought together and had a relationship in secret”_

_“Who?”_

_“Steve Rogers”_

_Noah’s eyebrows floor, half of his entire being not believing it “As in Captain America? You’re telling me that I’m his son”_

_“Yeah...I know it’s a lot to take in”_

_“A lot to take in? You’re telling me you’re not my dad-”_

_Daniel leaned forward and put his hand on Noah’s shoulder “Hey. I’m still you dad. I’m always going to be your dad”_

Noah approached the door and stopped as his hand laid down on the handle.

_“Except...you're not. Not really”_

_“Noah”_

_Noah bowed his head and sighed “I'm sorry dad”_

_"I know, son"_

Noah took a deep breath and pushed open the doors. Noah walked in to see Steve sat on one of Nick’s leather chairs in the middle of the room, with Nick stood up beside him and speaking to him. Both their heads lifted when they heard the door open.

“Ah. Glad you could join us” Nick said as Noah walked in the room.

“You called. I came” Noah shrugged. Trying to make it seem like he wouldn’t have come if he wasn’t asked. Which was a lie. Eventually he would have come here to see Steve. Eventually. Noah stopped behind the leather chair that was facing Steve, he kept his eyes onto him for a moment before looking at Nick as he said “Captain Rogers, this is Agent Noah Carter”

“Carter?” Steve said with a crack in his voice. Just hearing her last name made his heart flutter. Steve shuffled in his chair “Are you Peggy’s grandson or something?”

Noah looked to Nick once more which sent his message loud and clear. Nick quickly made himself scarce. Shutting the door behind him, Noah took his eyes back to Steve. Who seemed more confused than ever. Noah cleared his throat and sat in the chair opposite to Steve, looking down at his hands that were clutched together, he shook his head “I’m not her grandson...I’m” Noah paused as he let out a sigh and sat back in his chair, finally taking his eyes to Steve he finally just said it “I’m her son”

Steve stared at him, long and hard with nothing but shock and confusion in his eyes. Steve shook his head and leaned forward “I’m sorry. I don’t follow-”

“You see my mom had a relationship with someone in the war. Someone who had something special in his blood” Noah watched as all the blood from Steve’s face drain. Noah stared at Steve and nodded “Yeah. I think you might know him”

Steve hitched his breath as his breathing altogether got heavier. Steve leaned up, he rested his hand on his knee and tried to gather the words “You’re saying...you’re saying that you-”

Noah nodded, rubbing his lips together and looking away from him. Saying in a blunt mutter “Yeah”

“I’m your dad” Steve said, almost in a whisper to himself as the reality began to sink in. Noah looked back to him “Only biologically”

Steve’s eyebrows pinched together “What-”

“You are my father biologically. But I had a dad. Daniel Sousa was my dad. Mom was with him ever since I was two, I didn’t find out the truth till I was seventeen after my mom-” Noah stopped himself and regained his composure. But his slip of the tongue did not go unnoticed by Steve, he tilted his head, already feeling a lump in his throat “Is she…”

Noah took a breath “She died. A long time ago”

Steve’s head dropped in his hands. Noah took his eyes back to Steve and saw how much that piece of information had destroyed him. Steve shook his head and muttered “I was building myself up for that...if she was alive she would have been well in her nineties so...but hearing it just hits”

“Yeah, I know” Noah whispered as he rubbed the palm of his hands together.

“What happens now?”

“What do you mean?”

Steve shrugged and tried to get his words out as best as he could “I mean...this is the first time we’ve ever met. First time I’ve even known about you”

Noah shook his head as well as his hand, sitting back up in his chair “If you think I want anything from you then you’re wrong. I’m not a kid. I wasn’t some orphan who stayed up all night looking out the window just waiting for you to come home. I had a family. The only people I waited to come home was my mom and Daniel. I didn’t miss out on any family life until my mother died. Even after that I had my dad and sister”

“Sister”

“She’s not yours”

He was being painfully sharp. But that was just because he was nervous and defensive. He knew he was, but he couldn’t help it. He didn’t want the wrong picture to be painted in Steve’s head. And all of this was a lot for Steve to get his head around, Noah saw this clear as day. Noah slapped his hands on the arm chairs “Right. Well-”

“Was she happy?” Steve suddenly asked, causing Noah to bring his eyes to Steve once again, he raised his eyebrows “Was she happy?”

Steve nodded.

“Of course she was happy” Noah answered, relatively polite. Steve nodded once again and bowed his head down, rubbing his forehead “I’m sorry this is...it’s a lot to process my heads a little-”

“Look it’s fine. It’s a lot to take in” Noah muttered as he stood up from his chair, causing Steve to do the same “You’re leaving?”

Noah stared at him for a moment and then nodded “Uh-huh”

“But-”

“I came here, and I’ve said what I needed to say”

The door opened again, Nick came back in the room “Agent Carter. Leaving so soon?”

Noah rolled his eyes and shrugged “Yes, sir”

“Well you and Captain Rogers will have plenty of time to talk about your personal situation” Nick said as he walked over to his desk, with Noah’s eyes following him “What are you talking about?”

“We’ve put him in the same apartment building as you”

Noah put his hands on his hips then let out a deep breath “Are you serious?”

“Have you ever known me be otherwise?”

Noah looked to Steve, who just seemed as confused as ever on what was going on. He ran the palm of his hand down his mouth and muttered “Fine” giving another look at Steve, he began to leave the room and said “I need some air”

Steve watched as Noah shut the door behind him, then hearing Nick grumble a low laugh “I take it he gets that attitude from Director Carter”

Steve let out a faint smile at the sound of her name and nodded as he turned his head back to Nick “Yeah...Director?”

“Co-founder of shield”

“He didn’t mention that”

“I wouldn’t take the way he is too personally, Captain. He doesn’t like talking about his mother much, you know, given he was there and all”

“There? There when she died?”

Nick looked to the door and then back to Steve “He didn’t tell you, did he? How she died?”

“No?”

Nick sighed and sat down in his chair “Director Carter was kidnapped in her own home, with Noah at the age of ten alongside his four year old sister Evelyn Sousa being there, Director Carter ensured her children’s safety before being taken and they never found her”

Steve felt sick, feeling like he needed to sit down before he’d fall. He leaned his hand down on Nick’s death and tried to come to grips with this new founded information. It was hard enough getting his head around the fact that he had a son. But knowing that Peggy’s life ended in such a cruel way was almost unbearable.

“It’s been hard for him to deal with your return. He lost one father years ago I don’t think he ever expected to gain one”

Steve gulped heavily and ran his fingers through his hair “Yeah. Well I didn’t expect to gain a son”

* * *

Natasha watched through the glass door Noah make a fast exit to the front of the building. Natasha turned to Clint “Give me a second, alright?”

Natasha made her way outside and found Noah on his phone. She crossed her arms and walked over to him “Anyone special?”

Noah turned and looked to her, sliding his phone back in his pocket, he shook his head and just said with a sigh “Just Eve”

“Answer?”

Noah laughed and shook his head “She never answers. Her age is catching up with her”

“All the more reason to stick with as much family as you’ve got” She saw Noah give her a glare in the corner of her eye, she then looked to him “How was it?”

“Awkward. Got in and got out” he said with a grumbled laugh. Natasha looked behind her and looked to the building “Well, it’s done now which is the main thing”

“Done? You think this is done?”

Natasha turned her head to him and raised an eyebrow, not following. Noah let out a breathless laugh. He could tell when she was acting and she wasn’t acting right now. So she had no idea that Nick had moved Steve into his building. Noah sighed and dropped his hands from his hips “Fury has moved him into my building”

Natasha gaped at him for a moment and then let out a small laugh through disbelief “Wow...shit I...wanna move in with me?” she lightly laughed, causing Nate to crack and smile. Natasha gripped onto his grinning cheeks “Where’s my camera? Noah Carter in smiling”

Noah rolled his eyes and pushed her hand away. Natasha slowly wiped away her amused smile and then got more real with him “Noah this not the end of the world. If anything this can be good for you”

“How?”

Natasha stared at him and shrugged “The person you trusted more than anyone in the world was your mother. I didn’t know her but I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t have fallen in love with Steve if he was jackass. Just cut him some slack and go along with it. I’m pretty sure, if your mom was alive or even knew this day would happen...that she’d want her son to get to know his father. Because after all it’s not his fault that he didn’t get to know you”

“He crashed a plane and left my mother alone when he claimed to love her. He broke her heart, Nat”

Natasha went to say back at him that from the stories that have been told. He had no other choice. Noah tends to not believe that part since finding out the truth. Daniel told him that Peggy used to often think that Peggy could have helped him if he would have given the coordinates.

Noah just shook his head and walked away, telling her to tell Maria that he was getting some air given the circumstances.

Noah wasn’t bitter about the life that could have been. He knew how different his life would have been if Steve had survived. Peggy would have married him and Daniel would have just been a guy that they worked with. And there would be no Evelyn. Peggy didn’t even dwell on the fact that she could have help him save his own life because she was in love with him, it was never just that. It was because Steve was a good man who deserved a good full life.  
Noah used to wonder what his life could have been like. Either way he knew that he would have had a good life. But that doesn’t mean he can’t grit his teeth and be bitter.

And Natasha knew the reason. She watched him walk away. The secret that ate away at her every single day. She hated keeping secrets from Noah. Really hated it. But she didn’t tell him within the first few months of knowing him. If she told him now he would never forgive her for keeping it for so long.

She knew where he was going. And she just left him to it.

* * *

Noah walked in the Captain America museum at the smithsonian. He didn’t go there to see his father plastered everywhere. Noah visited the smithsonian to see his mother. It’s the only way he could.

Noah walked over to the glass wall that had a picture of her back in the war. And the writing of her life that he had read over and over again. Along with hearing the audio of the voiceover talk about her life like they knew her.

_“Margaret Elizabeth Carter. Better known as Agent Peggy Carter. Carter survived her time in the war beside Captain Steve Rogers from the beginning till the very end. Carter taught Rogers everything he knew for the battlefield and was believed to be his greatest support before and after project rebirth. Carter was the last person to speak to Captain Rogers before he died.  
After the war, Carter continued her work for the Strategic Scientific Reserve and soon went on to be Director and co-founder of SHIELD which is still with us today, alongside Howard Stark, father of Iron Man, Colonel Chester Phillips and Agent Daniel Sousa. Whom Carter married._

_Carter’s life came to a tragic end in 1956 as she was kidnapped from her home and killed. Carter left behind two children. One who followed her footsteps”_

Noah looked down to the photo of Steve and Peggy together in the war. He had to admit. The way they were looking at each other, he could tell they really loved each other. In the corner of his eye, Noah saw a section that he tends to ignore and hate. The section of himself. It was only small but it was still there.

The news hit the world that Steve Rogers had a child in 2005. After a former shield agent found an old picture of Noah in 1970, a picture that was taken of the shield agents in that year, they couldn’t help but notice how Noah looked exactly how he did now. Most people knew this now, but they were loyal and didn’t say anything, they didn’t have to anymore since this particular agent sold the picture and story to the press when he was fired.

So as soon as this museum was made as a tribute to Steve two years ago by the government after Steve’s old war gear was recovered and they wanted to release it to the people. Like some kind of shrine that starred Noah in the face everyday.

Since finding out about Steve, Noah walked over to the section of himself and listened to what the voice over had to say.

_“Noah Carter was born August 13th 1946. Carter was the son of Agent Peggy Carter and Captain Steve Rogers who were discovered to have had a love affair during the war. Carter grew up with his mother and step-father Daniel Sousa. After his mother’s death, when Carter reached twenty one, he followed in his parents footsteps and became an Agent for SHIELD. Carter currently works at the organization today due to his slow aging process which he received from Rogers”_

His eyes shifted to the photo that was leaked of him. That was all they had. It was all they were getting. The museum offered him a lot of money to give a picture of him with Peggy. He told them to go to hell.

Noah took himself into the film room that played the clip of the interview Peggy did in 1953. He remembered that day pretty well. He remembered that she came home crying but wasn’t sure why. All he remembered was Daniel consoling her.

_March 2nd 1953  
Noah was in his room when he heard the front door open. He knew it was Peggy, with Daniel being in the kitchen with Evelyn. He jumped off of his bed and ran down the stairs. Grinning as he ran towards her “Mom!”_

_Peggy put on a tight smile and opened her arms up as he walked to her and wrapped his arms around her. She kissed the top of his head “Hi, darling”_

_Noah looked up from her voice not sounding like it’s usual happy self, he saw how her eyes were red from crying “Mom? What’s wrong?” Peggy opened her mouth to say something but before she had the chance to speak, Daniel came through from the kitchen._

_“Hey, hon” he smiled, then suddenly dropping that when he saw the look on her face. Unlike Noah, Daniel knew where she went today and he could take a good guess at what caused her tears._

_“Erm, Noah can you be a good lad and go feed Eve the rest of her dinner”_

_Noah looked to Peggy, a little hesitant at first to leave her but he did as he was told, Daniel patted Noah on the back “Thank you, son”_

_Noah did as he was told, yes, but that didn’t stop him from eavesdropping on the conversation his parents had the dining room which was right beside the kitchen and was visible through it being open planned. Noah saw the pair sat closely, Peggy having her head resting in her right hand as her left remained on the table, the light making her wedding ring glimmer. Daniel had his hand on top of it, softly stroking it with his thumb._

_“So they asked you about him?”_

_Peggy nodded and moved her hand from her forehead to her mouth, she sighed and shook her head “I don’t understand why it’s made me so upset. They just came out with it and my emotions just ran wild”_

_Noah didn’t have a clue who they were talking about, but Daniel didn’t seem angry or sad. He just gave her a warm look of comfort. Daniel didn’t mind Steve being mentioned. He owed his life to Steve from the rescue mission back in the war at Bastogne. Daniel knew that Peggy would always have love for Steve and he was okay with that. Because he also knew that she was 100% in love with him._

_Daniel shrugged “Well you know, you rarely get asked about this, Peg, in fact it’s been years since you were asked in any kind of detail they were asking from you. It’s natural to get this upset. It was one of the hardest things you had to go through”_

_Noah watched as Peggy kept her watery eyes on him and saw him smile to her, then nod and say in a quiet tone “It’s okay”_

_Peggy finally let out a sighing smile and dropped her hand from her head down onto his that was still resting on her other hand. She took hold of it and said with a warm smile “What would I do without you?”_

_Daniel grinned, he leaned forward with his crutch and kissed her before hugging her._

Watching this interview felt weird at times, since he was the only one in this room who witness the aftermath of it. He was the only one that knew how much it shook her. Evelyn was too young to remember and Daniel was too dead.

“You were the last person to speak to Captain Rogers before his plane went down”

“I was...yes…”

“Could you tell us what he said?”

That was the thing that bugged him. Nate hated seeing Peggy cry. And she was crying a lot in that video before it faded to black. The crying part bugged him because that’s one thing he had in common with the rest of these people watching. He had no clue what the answer of that question was. He had no clue what it was Peggy and Steve talked about before the crashed the plane. After the screen faded black, there was writing on the screen that said.

**_Due to the heartbreak of remembering. Director Peggy Carter was unable to finish the interview._ **

He scoffed at the word ‘heartbreak’ not because it wasn’t true, because she did have her heartbroken. But because they have used that line purely to make their relationship sound like some greek tragedy or Romeo and Juliet. They used his mother as a way to make Steve Rogers seem more of a noble man.

Steve Rogers sacrificing his life to not only save the world but save the woman he loves.

Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter torn apart by a hero’s duty.

Or the one that really get’s Noah’s blood boiling Steve Rogers. Saves the world by giving up his life, before even knowing he was a father.

Not only do they use Peggy but they also use her pregnancy and Noah as a pawn to sell tickets. Thankfully, no one noticed Noah. Not really anyway. There were the odd people who look down to the picture, glance to Noah and then click. But other than those people he goes under the radar. Besides, people don’t care about him they care about Captain America.

Noah was just a mistake.

After another fifteen minutes in the museum. Noah left and returned back to work. Keeping his head down, his mouth shut. He didn’t go and see Steve again, he was now too wrapped up in _what comes next for him._


	3. Chapter 3

It was dark by the time Noah got out of the building. When he reached outside to his car. He saw Steve stood out at the front with a gym bag in his hand. Noah quietly cleared his throat and decided to say something “You waiting for someone?”

Steve jumped and turned around, he slowly nodded “Yeah. You”

Noah scoffed “Me?”

Steve rubbed his nose and pointed to out to the city “Yeah. Director Fury said that since I am living in the same building as you that you’d...give me a ride”

Noah let out a small breathless laugh and looked away from him, lightly shaking his head “Did he now?”

“Look if it’s a problem or weird for you then I’ll just get a bus or something”

Noah looked back at him and stared in silence, then rolling his eyes and shaking his head again as he spun his keychain that had his car keys on them around his finger “No it’s fine. I’m not going to be some asshole who makes you get lost in a city that has changed since seventy years ago”

Noah pointed to further down the road “Down here”

Noah walked ahead as Steve trailed behind. He knew that Steve felt nervous and awkward. The voice in his head was trying to persuade the rest of him to talk to him, to get to know him. And that voice was his mother.

So he did his best “So how are you finding things?”

Steve looked up to Noah, who still had the back of his head to him. He was surprised that Noah even said anything at all, from their first meeting before he seemed pretty hostile towards him and the whole situation. Steve cleared his throat “Confusing. It’s a lot to process”

“I bet. You’ll get used to the world changing it’s course eventually” Noah said, glancing over his shoulder to Steve before looking straight ahead once again. Then reaching the car a few steps afterwards. Steve looked down to the car and complimented “Nice car”

“Yeah well compared to the cars you were used to back then I think any car around here will be a nice car” Noah wittily pointed out in a dry tone as he got into the car. Steve sighed at his _son’s_ cynical comment and then joined him in the car. It was a nice car though. It was a metallic dark blue land rover defender.

* * *

At first the car was filled with nothing but silence, Steve tried to start conversation again “So. You didn’t tell me that Peggy-that _your mom_ was the director of shield”

Noah glanced to him as he turned on his indicator and turned a corner, this time he decided to gave a genuine and less sarcastic answer “Yeah. She founded it with my godfather Howard and Chester Phillips, alongside my dad”

Steve nodded and asked as he looked out the window “What was he like?”

“Good man. Good dad. Good husband. _Great_ Agent” he said vaguely. Steve nodded and muttered “Good to hear”

Noah looked to him again and sighed “I don’t mean to be so dry and short. I just have trouble trusting people, that’s the number one thing you should know about me”

“Okay…”

“I’m just saying. I don’t want you thinking that just because you’re my birth father that I’m going to pour my heart out. I don’t function that way”

Steve appreciated Noah’s honesty. It was actually good of Noah to explain why he says things the way he does, Steve shrugged “So you don’t trust anyone?”

“I have never trusted anyone in my life more than I trusted my mother” Noah then held his finger up “Except one. Natasha Romanoff, you’ll meet her soon enough she’s a fellow agent”

“You trust her as much as Peggy?”

“It took a long process to get to that stage. But she’s been a big support...put it this way there isn’t anyone else in this current world who I would trust with my life more than her” Noah shrugged.

Steve understood, hell even he could be like that sometimes, he was warey of people who he didn’t know. Noah sat back in the car and added on “So what number are you?”

“First floor, apartment four”

Nate lightly laughed and muttered “Fury the bastard”

“What?”

Noah motioned his hand to the apartment key that was in Steve’s hand “Mine’s apartment three. My cousin Sharon is a floor above us on seven”

“Cousin, huh?”

“Yeah she’s my mom’s brothers granddaughter”

Steve raised his eyebrows “Michael was alive?” Noah looked to Steve. Finding it so surreal to hear a man, who was practically a stranger talk about his family. Peggy must have been more open with him than Noah initially thought. He nodded and looked back to the road “Yeah it’s a _long_ story”

“And he’s?...”

“Dead. Yeah died about twenty years ago” Noah cleared his throat and scratched his arm, He could practically hear Steve frown as he said “I’m sorry”

“Nothing to be sorry about. Couple of years before he died we kind of lost touch. My fault not his” he shrugged then clearing his throat again and shiftly changing the subject off of himself and onto Steve. This was him trying.

“So you being thrown back in action straight away?”

Steve shrugged “Until I get called. They’re letting me get to grips with this whole _situation_ ”

Noah bit his lip in attempts to not say anything back that would be considered snarky or cold. His parents taught him better than that.

Steve looked to Noah and said with a genuine voice “Noah. I would like to get to know you”

It was expected. Steve knew he wasn’t painted as some deadbeat dad who left Peggy alone. He hoped anyway. But Steve felt the connection to Noah almost as soon as he came into the room, he felt some sort of connection. Noah just labeling it made it more clear.

And hearing him say that. Noah didn’t know what to say. He had a father. Granted every little boy wants to spend time with their dad no matter how old they are and a part of him did want to get to know his _real_ father. But he was hesitant over everything especially when it was his own feelings on the line.

“Listen, we’re gonna be working together. We’ll be getting to know each other alright then. As far as the whole father and son bonding goes…” Noah pulled the car up in his garage, he let himself let out a small act of sentimental care “I’ll help you with things you want. Questions you have about work. The city-”

“What about if I have questions about you? And your mom?”

Noah looked to Steve as he unbuckled his seat belt “There isn’t much to know” Noah opened the car door and got out. Steve then did the same in a quick pace. He didn’t push on the situation “Thank you for the ride”

Noah spun his keychain around his finger again and gave a tight smile, then muttering “Sure”

Noah pushed the door to the apartment building open and then kept it open for Steve behind him. When they both reached to their homes. Noah pointed to Steve’s door and said as he put his key into his lock “There you go. I presume they’ve given you all the basic stuff. They did that for Tash when she joined SHIELD”

“Great” Steve said with a nervous voice still in his throat.

Noah opened the door and looked up to Steve again, giving him a nod “Well. I’ll see you tomorrow most likely”

“Yeah, yeah” Steve cleared her throat and then said with a small smile “It’s great to meet you finally, as far as surprises go this one is pretty good”

Noah had trouble taking in things like that. All that sentimental bullshit. It took a lot for himself to get sentimental, never mind having people say it to him.

“Yeah. Good to meet you too” that was as much as Steve would be able to get out him. At least for now anyway, and Steve was a good enough man to take it with a pinch of salt. As mind blowing as this all was for him, it must be even harder for Noah considering the way his life has been, or at least the way Steve imagines it has been since Noah has hardly told him anything.

The two men went their separate ways into their own apartments. As soon as Steve closed the door, he let out a deep sigh and covered his face with the palm of his hands as he dropped his gym bag. He hadn’t really had the chance to have his own space for his mind to absorb everything.

The thing that was running through his mind was the main thing. Aside from having a son. Peggy was dead. The woman he loved for three years was gone. It was enough to push him to tears.

_Peggy giggled as Steve had his hands over her eyes. Leading her to god knows where. She put her hands to his wrists “Where are we going?”_

_“You’ll see”_

_Peggy joked a gasp and whispered “Is this where you kill me?”_

_Steve chuckled “Not this time” Steve guided her inside. He knew she was slowly growing impatient “Just a few more steps”_

_Suddenly he stopped her and then took his hands away “Okay. Open your eyes” Peggy opened her eyes to find herself in the pub that she innocently flirted with him in not too long ago. In the red dress that made his tongue drop to the floor. She saw the table in the middle of the pub with a white cloth over it with a candle in the middle of it that was put in an empty wine bottle._

_Peggy couldn’t help but let out a small gasp. Steve’s arms wrapped around her neck as Peggy gripped onto them “What is this?” she giggled._

_“Well. I know how stressed you’ve been lately, and I’m being pulled away every chance they get. Thought I’d do this so we can spend some time together” Steve pressed his lips against her cheeks as she grinned. Then as he took her hand and walked ahead of her to lead over to the table she looked at him with such love, looking like she was going to burst out into tears at any given moment._

_No-one had ever done anything like this for her before. No-one had ever looked at her the way he looked at her before. Steve smiled and kissed the back of her hand, then nodding over to the table. Peggy walked with him, he pulled the chair out for her and pushed her in before reaching behind the bar and getting two wine glasses along with a bottle of red._

_“I don’t understand. How did you get in here?”_

_“Oh I payed the barman fifty pounds to let me do this” he raised his eyebrows at her, feeling rather proud of himself, he pulled his chair round to be closer to her and poured out the wine for them each before clinking their glasses together and taking a sip. Peggy tilted her head to him as she ran her free hand over his._

_“You’re moving out again tomorrow”_

_“I know, it’s hard but let’s just focus on tonight. Tonight I’m all yours”_

_“Hm. The way I like it” Peggy whispered, moving closer to Steve and pressing her lips against his, resting her hand against his cheek, playing with the back of his hair. Peggy pressed her forehead against his and whispered with her eyes closed “How long do you think it will be until the war is over?”_

_Steve shrugged and lifted his head to kiss her forehead, whispering back before he did so “Hopefully not too long”_

_“I just want to take you home” Peggy muttered with a light laugh, seeing Steve smirk as she added on “I was so work driven and then you came along and now all I want to do is take you home and live out some kind of fairy tale”_

_Steve muttered a small laugh and pressed his lips against her forehead before taking them back down to her lips “I love you”_

_“Do you?” Peggy smiled, slowly biting her lip as she nuzzled her head against his “Truly?”_

_“You’re the one thing in my life that I have ever been sure of, Agent Carter” he smiled, then teasing “Course if you don’t love me then I take it all back”_

_Peggy slapped his chest “Of course I love you. I’ll never love anyone as much as I love you”_

_“Alright. Getting cheesy” Steve laughed as he clashed their lips back together again._

_“You pull off a candle lit night for us and I am the one being cheesy?”_

_Steve smirked and tucked the strand of hair she had on her face behind her ear, he dropped his hand and kept his eyes to her, still with a small loving smile written across. Peggy took another sip of her wine as she kept her eye contact locked on his not daring to even think about looking away from his piercing eyes._

_Steve smiled and whispered “I want to marry you after this is all over”_

_“I want you to marry me too”_

Steve ran his fingers through his hair as he walked over to the couch in the living room. Not even giving the place a proper look around, he just fell onto the couch and buried his head in his hands.

_“Don’t you dare leave me”_

_“I don’t want to. But if I don’t do this now then a lot of people are going to die”_

_“But I love you” she cried barely being able to speak from her throat feeling so dry from her emotions._

_“I love you too...but I gotta do this”_

Steve sat back on the couch and kept his eyes on his hands. When did she find out she was pregnant he wondered. Was she supported in the beginning? Before Daniel came along two years after Noah was born, who was there for her? He had so many questions, questions that not even Noah could answer.

Steve took a deep breath and then stretched over and grabbed hold of his bag, landing it beside him he then opened it, he hasn’t look in it before. There were basic clothes. To sleep in, relax in. Also Nick informed Steve that whilst he was sleeping his measurements were took and he had been fixed up with some clothes that are already hanging in his wardrobe. Also in the bag were the files Steve requested to look at of all his past war allies and friends.

He just wanted to see if there was anyone to even call anymore. Also his compass which had Peggy’s photograph in it was resting on top of the clothes. It was lucky that it survived the ice. Steve saw it as something he was given to hold onto, by fate or god.

* * *

Meanwhile, as soon as Noah stepped into his apartment. The lamp beside his couch flicked open that made him jump “Took your time”

Noah relaxed and sighed “Eve. What’re you doing here?”

His little sister raised an eyebrow “Tash came round to Emily’s and brought me here”

Noah rolled his eyes as he walked into the kitchen. Trust Natasha to drag a sixty one year old woman away from her daughter's house. He’s sure she did it respectfully though.

“She’s a keeper, Noah I’m telling you”

Noah let out a small laugh. Everytime Evelyn visits she has to add in her opinion on his and Natasha’s relationship, that is what she _wants_ it to be like. But Noah had loved before, he’d make sure that he’d never get that deep again after what happened.

Evelyn was the definition of aging gracefully and was a spitting image of Peggy. Every time Noah looked at her his heart would jump because it would feel like he was looking at his mother once again. Apart from the stray grey strands of hair Evelyn now had. She had darker eyes like Daniel and his lips. She lives just a few hours away, she moved to Arizona with her husband. But often visits her daughter and son in law, and Noah along the way.

“I was going to come and see you tomorrow” Noah assured as he walked back into the living room.

“I don’t doubt that but Natasha looked rather worried about you”

“Yeah well Natasha always worries about me”

“We all have a right to” Evelyn muttered as she looked down to her finger making circles on his arm chair. Noah rolled his eyes again “She tell you then?” he asked as he sat beside her. Evelyn tucked her legs under and sat facing him “She did....how are you?”

“Dandy” Nate scoffed, shaking his head he looked down to the floor “He’s a nice guy which makes it worse”

“Worse how? It makes you harder to _hate_ him? Noah I’ve told you time and time again what pops told us. He was a good man who did a good thing for his country. Hell even I want to shake his hand for what he did”

“Well he’s my neighbor now” Noah said as he looked to Eve, watching her face drop to a shocked one, she pointed to outside “He’s in apartment four?”

Noah saw as she went to stand up. She was always a very impulsive person. Noah shook his head “Don’t”

“Oh my god” Evelyn stood up.

“Eve-”

“I’ll just say I got the wrong door. Blame the age” Evelyn whispered as she walked towards the front door. Noah jumped up and jumped on her back. Good thing she was strong, being an ex militant and all.

“No!” Noah shouted in a whisper.

“You do realise you're supposed to be older than me?” Evelyn whispered as she threw him off of his back. She then turned to him and laughed, slapping his shoulder as she walked back over to the couch “Fine but I’ll have to meet him eventually.

“Yeah well eventually is not now. Maybe your next visit over here”

“Whenever that will be” Evelyn sighed as she sat back down on the floor “Come back over here big brother”

Noah took a breath and walked back over to the sofa. Dropping down next to her and clearing his throat as Evelyn swung her arm over him and rested her head on his shoulder “Nice to hear you’ve missed me”

Noah scoffed a light laugh “Of course I missed you. It’s been what? Three months?”

“Four. Nice to know you’re keeping track”

“Sorry” Noah muttered, giving the top of her head a quick kiss “You’re looking well though, sis”

“Well you’re always looking well considering you still look twenty fucking six”

Noah laughed and sat up from slouching against the back of the couch and turned on his stereo, a stream of jazz music leaking out of the bose speakers. Noah looked down to his rubbing palms and looked to her “How’s the spouse?”

“Sorry he couldn't be here” Evelyn ran her fingers through the side of her hair as she rested her head in her hand “But are we seriously going to talk about how Hank couldn’t make it? I know you don’t forget. Quit trying to change the subject”

“I don’t know what you want me to say! Ev. It’s something once again that I have to deal with. If mom and dad were here-”

“Then things would have been _real_ interesting, imagine mom finding out her long lost war love was alive this whole time…” Evelyn looked back to Noah’s unamused face “Sorry”

“It’s alright for you. You had a mom and dad normally”

“Hold on. First off I hardly even remember mom. Second of all you act as if you never had dad. Even before you found out that Steve Rogers was your _real_ dad or whatever you want to call it, dad was still there for you till he died”

Noah bowed his head and heard her add on “I know your life has been rough, I know you’d rather look older than me right now with a wife and kids like me but that’s not the way life has been mapped out for you. You’ve got to roll with the punches”

“I’ve been rolling with these punches for thirty eight years. Screw that it’s been fifty four years”

“Well as far as punches go. Gaining a father isn’t the worst” Evelyn muttered, causing Noah to look at her over his shoulder. He knew that she didn’t want to say it, but he knew what she was thinking. He gained a father whilst she had to go on living her life without one. But she wouldn’t say that sort of thing to him because she was too polite and too scared in hurting his feelings. Which he appreciated. But he also prefered her to be honest most of the time.

“Noah just give it a shot”

He felt her rub his back and then rest her hand on his shoulder, which he then took hold of and took a deep breath. Noah closed his eyes “Man, I wish she was here. Both of them”

Evelyn leaned forward and rested her head against his “They are”

When it came down to it, they were just a couple of kids who were made motherless before they even knew what hit them. Evelyn ruffled his head “I better be going. It’s getting late and there’s only so long Sarah will keep her door open for me”

Evelyn stood up, Noah then walking to the door and holding it open for her. Evelyn slipped on her jacket “I just came by to check up on you. We’ll meet up tomorrow like planned?”

Noah nodded as his hand rested on top of her door. Evelyn rubbed his arm and kissed his cheek “Get some sleep”

“Yes ma’am” Noah whispered, giving her a tight smile. He watched her walk down the hall and then shut the door. He slid his hands in his pockets as he walked back down the small hall and then turned to his room. Taking off his shirt as he walked into the bedroom and tossed it to the side.

Around his neck were the dog tags that Peggy gave to him when he was five. He remembered that she gave them to him when he fell off of his bike and grazed his knee. She took the tags from around her neck and put them around his, then saying to him _“As long as you have these around your neck, you will always be protected”_

He knew that she was just being a good mother and trying to make him feel better. But the fact of the matter is, Peggy wasn’t a liar, she never lied. Noah did feel protected with these around his neck, whether it was because he never truly got physically hurt after that or because he needed to hold onto that feeling after she died. Still he never took them off.

Noah changed into his pajama pants and got into bed. Resting down on his back and looked up to the ceiling, with his hand tucked between his pillow and the back of his head. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

Usually he says a prayer before going to sleep. He wasn’t some _hardcore christian_. But it did make him feel better on a more spiritual level. Like the day he had didn’t seem so bad after he had connected with god. But today. Today he was too emotionally drained to even bother.


	4. Chapter 4

Two weeks had past since that night and Steve didn’t know if he was making progress with Noah or not. Sometimes, Noah would be chatty and talk to Steve like a friend. He’d talk about anything that didn’t involve his mother. Whenever she was mentioned he’d go all hostile and be so vague that it was practically pointless in talking about it. But on other days he’d hardly talk at all. Steve had gotten on good ground with one person though, Natasha. She could see how he was trying and often said to him when Noah was being in that certain mood _ “Don’t take it personally. He can be a moody ass sometimes”  _ but she seems to do nothing but stand by him and speak highly of him. 

Steve began to go for runs in the morning. Which was something that Noah also did. Sometimes they ran together, with little conversation but still in each other’s company or they would go at separate times in the morning depending on when either of them woke up. Still it was something.

He still hadn’t had the chance to look through those files that Nick had given him. If anything he was trying to put it off. His mind was split on wanting to look at it but then not wanting to. Because he knew it would hurt. He’d get around to it eventually though.

Noah felt like he’s had no choice but to spend time with Steve, with him being a neighbor now. Plus he had Natasha egging him on every single day and also having texts from Evelyn. Some were just emoticons of eyes as if to say  _ ‘I’m watching you’  _ which also meant she had Natasha playing spy. Typical. He knew he never should have introduced those two.

When Natasha insisted on meeting the family she never expected the family to just be one person. Plus Sharon of course but she already knew her.

Steve wasn’t working for SHIELD, not yet anyway. He kept his distance for his own personal reasons. He was doing his best to try and work things out on his own. Noah told him about the museum, in case that would help in anyway.

Steve went to it. It helped a little. Seeing Peggy again even if it was through a movie screen. Seeing her cry like that though, he couldn't bare it, he had to leave before he even had the chance to see if there was anymore of it.

He also went to an old gym, which was one of the only buildings from his time that was still standing. Barely used though, in fact it was pretty much abandoned. Still, he actually preferred it like that. 

* * *

Back at SHIELD, Noah was being informed in an attack that happened last night that happened to some of his fellow agents and Nick. He was ordered to go into Maria’s office which he did. Swinging around on the spinning chair and then coming to a stop as Maria made him jump with the first thing she said was “Did Nick tell you?” as soon as she walked in the office. Noah cleared his throat and sat up respectfully “I haven’t seen or heard from Nick all day”

Maria sighed, Noah tilted his head “You seem tired, Agent Hill”

Maria slowly looked up from her desk “You really have no idea what’s happened do you?”

Noah shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. Maria licked her bottom lip and stood in front of her desk, leaning against it as she looked to him “This attack wasn’t just some goons. It was Loki”

“God of mischief?”

“He’s more like a god of destruction from what I saw last night, he is the brother of Thor”

“I’m aware of the family tree” Noah nodded.

“Okay. So last night, Nick took me along with Agent Barton and a few others to the Project Pegasus...about the tesseract”

Noah took a deep through his nose and sat back in the chair. He knew was the tesseract was. It was what Steve sacrificed himself for. Noah took his eyes back to Maria as she continued “In the middle of Dr Selvig who is the lead scientist in this research divison was explaining. The tesseract is a portal. One that opened and brought through Loki. He took the tesseract and…” Maria sighed “He’s used it to control the minds of Dr Selvig...and Barton”

Noah gulped heavily. He knew Clint well, they were friends. Hell they worked together. It was them who brought Natasha into shield instead of killing her like they were ordered to. Noah took one look at her and couldn’t bring himself to do it. He looked over to Clint and suggested that they were to help her instead of ending her. When Clint saw how Natasha was willing to surrender instead of fight, he agreed.

Noah rubbed his forehead and muttered “Shit”

“Those were my words. Look. I’m surprised Fury hasn’t said anything but it’s time”

Noah dropped his hand and scoffed “For what? The avengers? Maria that’s a pipedream”

“One that’s going to come true. If you’re on board” Noah looked at Maria as she laid out the files in front of him to take, hearing her add on “You are good at your job ad do know what the hell you’re doing. So...we need you”

Noah looked to Maria and then took another deep breath as he took the files out of her hands and looked down to them, he cracked his back and said “Does Natasha know?”

“No. She’s-”

“In Russia. Yeah I know. I’ll call her, do we have a location on where she is?”

“Coulson is getting it now”

Noah nodded and walked to the door before hearing her say “Noah. Rogers will be asked to join too”

“Yeah. I expected that” Noah muttered, then pushing the door open and heading down to the control room where Phil would be. As he walked in, he threw the files on the table “Phil” he quickly walked down the steps “Location on Agent Romanoff”

Phil couldn’t help but briefly raise his eyebrows, he had never hear him sound so professional. He usually calls Natasha  _ Tash _ or _ Nat _ . Never  _ Agent Romanoff _ . Phil looked down to the monitor and nodded “Yeah. I was just about to-”

Noah reached out and took hold of the phone.

“-Call her”

As Noah put the phone to his ear, he smirked to Phil“Sorry”

He hadn’t spoken to her in days which was a record. This was kind of an excuse. Phil said that the people that will pick up will be the people interrogating her. They had a drone surrounding the building to look in. So Noah opened up with a threat and the phone was then given over to Natasha.

“Hey Nat. So we need to come in”

_ “Noa-...are you kidding? I’m working” _

Noah looked over to the drone camera “Yeah if that’s what you want to call it. This is more important”

_ “I’m in the middle of an interrogation and this moron is giving me everything” _

Noah let out a light chuckle “He should just nip twist you, that usually get’s things out of you”

_ “Funny. Look Noah you can’t pull me out of this right now-” _

“Tash...Barton’s been compromised”

It then fell silent for a moment, till he heard her say  _ “Let me put you on hold”  _ Noah smirked and then heard her do her thing by beating the shit out of each and every one of the guys that was in that warehouse with her. Noah patiently waited as he heard bodies drop to the floor. Chairs breaking. Grown men crying. Somethings never change.

_ “Where is Barton now?” _

Noah sighed “We don’t know”

_ “But he’s alive” _

“Yeah. Yeah as far as we know. Look just get back here and I’ll tell you everything-” he then saw Phil wave his hands to him, Noah pinched his eyebrows together and then saw Phil point to the screen. Noah made an ‘O’ shape with his mouth for a moment and said as he bowed her head “But first they want you to get the big guy”

_ “You know Stark can trust me as far as he can throw me” _

Noah let out a stiff laugh “Naw, one of us will handle him. They mean the  _ big guy _ ”

There was another pause  _ “You’re joking” _

“Fraid not. Rather you than me”

_ “Hm really. How’s your dad?”  _ Natasha dryly mocked. Noah rolled his eyes “We’ll send over the location. Don’t get killed”

_ “You do care” _

* * *

Steve got back from his apartment. After having a visit from Nick about bringing him into the avengers. As he did. Noah was just about to go into his. Steve walked up the stairs “Noah”

Noah turned and looked to him “Steve. How’re you?”

Steve wasn’t quite sure how to even answer him. All that was on his mind was what Nick had given to him today at the gym about the avengers initiative. He clapped his hands together “Fury came and visited me today at the gym”

Noah crossed his arms and leaned against the door frame and listened to him, seeing how conflicted Steve looked, Steve shook his head “What do you know about the Avengers initiative?”

“Enough. I’m on it”

“Yeah, Fury mentioned that” Steve nodded “What do you think?”

Noah shrugged “I think that it’s a job. We’re trusted enough to do it and it’s our duty”

Steve stared at him, in totally amazement. Noah raised his eyebrows “What?”

Steve shook his head and lightly laugh “Sorry, it’s just...you sounded like your mom just then” 

Noah nodded and let out a brief small smile “Well. Thanks”

“I need to go and read those files” Steve said as he nodded over to his door. Noah dropped his arms and opened the door “Well happy reading”

“Thanks... “ Steve said awkwardly as he watched Noah step into his apartment. Steve looked at Noah’s door for a moment more and then walked back over to his. Steve turned on his light as he walked over to his table where the unopened files rested, he made himself a cup of coffee and then finally brought himself to do it.

Steve scratched the top of his lip and then began to look through the files one by one. The first ones he looked at was the Howling Commandos. All dead unfortunately. Majority of them lived to their high seventies. There was a file on Bucky, which he stared at for sometime and could help but hear his scream for a moment before closing his eyes and shaking it off.

Steve then took hold of Peggy’s file and stared at it. Staring at her picture of her in her military uniform.  _ Beautiful _ .

**Full name: Margaret Elizabeth Carter**

**Title: Director Peggy Carter**

**Agent of SSR. Director/Co-founder of SHIELD.**

**Spouse: Agent Daniel Sousa**

**Children: Evelyn Rose Sousa, Noah Steven Carter**

**Date of Birth: April 9, 1921**

**Date of Death(?): ???**

Steve then stopped and kept his eyes on  _ that _ . Question marks surrounding her death. Three suggesting that her date of death is own known and the other...suggesting that she may not even be dead. Noah said that Peggy’s date of death was titled the night she was kidnapped which was December 24 1956. But evidently that was not the case.

Was Noah lying to him? Steve found himself slowly rising up as he kept his eyes on the file paper. With it still in his hand, Steve walked to the front door and walked out of his apartment. With his head still down at the paper, he knocked onto Noah’s door.

Noah opened up with a bowl full of spaghetti in his hand “Steve?”

Steve looked up to Noah and struggled to gather his words properly, causing him to just blurt it out “I thought you said shield put Peggy’s date of death as the night she got kidnapped?”

Noah cleared his throat and stabbed his fork into his noodles and looked back up to Steve, saying in a sharp tone “I did”

Steve glanced to the paper and shook his head “It implies something very different here” he passed over the piece of paper. Noah put the bowl on the table by his door, rubbed the palm of his hands together and took the paper out of his hand. He took his eyes to what Steve was talking about and felt as if his heart had dropped to the pit of his stomach. His hand went to the door frame as he stumbled back. Steve held his hand out for a moment as he grew more worried by the look on Noah’s face.

“Noah?”

Noah looked up to Steve and hitched his breath, he moved back into his apartment and turned around as Steve then followed. Noah went to his drawers and roughly pulled them open, rushing his hands through the collection of paper he had in his drawer. Until finally he found it.

The file on Peggy that shield had given her. With the date of death totally different.

**Date of Death: December 24 1956 (Cause of death: Kidnapped and killed in her home)**

Noah stared at the two sheets of paper whilst Steve just stood in silence and stared at his son. Until finally he said his name again “Noah…”

Noah gulped heavily and looked to Steve, who just raised his eyebrows “What is it?”

“One of these are fake” Noah said as he passed Steve out of the hallway and into the living room where he had his coat rack. Pulling off his zip up black hoodie and zipping it up to his chest, Steve then asked “Where are you going?”

“There’s only one person in this world who will be honest with me. At least I thought they were”

“Natasha?”

Noah looked up to Steve as he put the pieces of paper in his back pocket “Yeah. Natasha”

Steve shrugged “Maybe she doesn’t know about it”

Noah couldn’t help but snort “Natasha knows every in and out of SHIELD. Believe me, she’ll know something”

Noah walked to the door. Steve cleared his throat and took hold of his arm, lightly “I’ll come with you”

Noah looked to him and pushed her hand off of him arm “No you won’t. I want to be alone with her” Noah carried on walking and left his apartment. He didn’t even care that he left Steve alone in his apartment. Steve was a good man, who did not go around snooping. He did however take the bowl of spaghetti over to the kitchen, wrapped it up in foil and put it in the fridge before leaving.

* * *

Natasha was still on her flight home from Calcutta after convincing Bruce Banner to join them in the Avengers. She told Noah that she wouldn’t get home till midnight their time. It was now 9:45pm. Noah didn’t even bother getting in his car. He could do with the walk to try and make himself calm before speaking to Natasha. Even if that walk did include being in the pouring rain. 

Natasha didn’t leave spare keys lying around, she was an agent for god sake. But he knew how to get into her apartment just like she knew how to get into his. They do it all the time.So he arrived at Natasha’s apartment when it hit 10pm. He had two more hours to go. But that was fine, he’d waited longer for her before he can do two hours.

Noah had a good habit in keeping his mind occupied. He had to for all the stake outs he had to take on missions.

_ “She’s turned left!” Noah yelled to Clint as they chased the red head assassin over rooftops. _

_ “I’ve got you covered, you’re faster race ahead!” Clint ordered. Noah did so and picked up his pace. Jumping from roof to roof as did she. She was without a doubt the most impressive target he had ever come across and that’s saying something. The room was a slope, Natasha didn’t hesitate and slid down the roof which Noah quickly copied. As she jumped, Noah pushed himself hard off of the roof and went further. Noah grabbed hold of her ankle and heaved them both into a window of a twelve story building. _

_ They both got up rather quickly, he was beginning to think she was a little bit like him. Natasha spat the blood on the floor “Is that the best you can do?” _

_ “I haven’t even started yet” Noah muttered in a low voice as he walked towards her. Natasha swung a punch which Noah blocked by grabbing hold of her fist and flipping her over. Landing on her back, he stood over her. Natasha landed herself up and grabbed hold of his shirt. Putting her foot against his stomach and flipping him over so now he was on the floor with her on top of him. _

_ She threw one punch across his cheek before he head butted her and pushed her back to pick himself up. Natasha groaned and put her palm to her forehead. Pretending to be hurt. But Noah didn’t fall for it, he grabbed hold of her ankles and said “My mother used to do the same thing” _

_ He pulled her down to make her slid across the floor in between his legs, he grabbed hold of her jacket and fisted her head. Before she twisted his wrist and kneed him in his crotch, then headbutting him and pushing him away. Noah then held up his gun to her, with Natasha then doing the same. Both taking heavy breaths, Natasha shook her head “You don’t have to do this” _

_ “It’s kind of my job” _

_ Clint then sung himself into the room through the window with his bows that had rope attached to it. He took a sharp exhausted breath and held his arrow to her “Good. You got her” _

_ Noah glanced to Clint before quickly taking his eyes back to Natasha who went to step forward “Move and I shoot” _

_ Natasha didn’t step forward. But she also didn’t put her gun down. Once again she shook her head “I’m not the person you’re looking for” _

_ Noah raised his eyebrows “You’re not Natalia Alianovna Romanova? Cause you sure as hell look like her” _

_ “Not anymore” _

_ Clint scoffed “Please. The way you tried to kill us both” _

_ “I didn’t know who you were with I thought you were other people I pissed off” _

_ Noah shrugged, with his gun still pointed at her “Make a habit of that?” _

_ Natasha took her eyes back to him “It’s kill or be killed. I saw your badges on your shoulders and I knew. You’re with shield. That’s where I want to go” _

_ Clint once again scoffed and shook his head “You want to come with us? When we’ve been ordered to kill you?” _

_ Natasha then looked to Clint once again and said in a stern voice “I’ve been running for years and I’m goddamn tired of it. Shield would be better with me or without me. There’s a reason you two aren’t dead right now and it’s because of that reason. I want in” _

_ Noah looked to Clint, he saw how Natasha then slowly lowered her gun and threw it on the floor. She shrugged “If you’re going to kill me then do it” _

_ Noah saw how Natasha wasn’t afraid or flinching at the fact she had just laid down her life like they wanted her to do. But all of a sudden, Noah felt like this was wrong. Usually their targets fight until they are gone. But never has one begged for mercy or sanctuary. Clint looked to Noah and whispered “Noah” _

_ Noah took his eyes to Clint, who then shrugged “Your call. You’re the lead in this operation” _

_ Noah looked to Natasha, who just stared at him with her piercing green eyes. Noah took a deep breath through his nose and finally lowered his gun, saying as he did so “Stand down” _

_ Natasha let out a small breath of relief. Clint lowered his bow and muttered “You sure about this?” _

_ Noah shook his head “Nope” he turned to Clint “Give me that rope” _

_ Clint detached the rope from his arrow and tossed it to Noah. He rubbed it against his pocket knife until it cut and then tied Natasha’s hands together, as he did so, he looked at her “Just because we ain’t killing you. Doesn’t mean we trust you” _

_ “Fine. I’ll earn it” _

Noah rubbed his forehead roughly and took out the pieces of paper again. He stared at them long and hard. Noah took a hitching sharp breath and muttered under his breath “What happened to you?”

_ 28th January 1951  _

_ Peggy knocked on Noah’s door that was already open to find him sat on the bed. Looking upset, probably from before. Peggy sighed and walked in the soon, she sat at the end of his bed as he kept his eyes on his book. _

_ “Five Children and It. Any good?” _

_ Noah shrugged and nodded. Peggy put her hand on the book and slowly lowered it down. Peggy tilted her head “Are you going to talk to me?” _

_ Noah shrugged. Peggy touched his cheek “Love. This isn’t going to change anything” _

_ Noah finally took his eyes to Peggy. He knew that his little storming off after over hearing Peggy tell Daniel she was pregnant was a bad way of going around things. But it freaked him out. It scared him. _

_ Peggy stroked his leg briefly as he muttered “Is dad angry with me?” _

_ “Now why would you think that?” _

_ “Because I ran off. And it’s just you in here” _

_ Peggy looked to the door and then back to Noah “Oh, no darling he isn't angry. He just knows that you and I like to talk through things, such as this. We’ll all talk together later” _

_ Noah nodded and took a deep breath “I’m sorry I ran off” _

_ “It’s alright” Peggy whispered. Noah looked to her and leaned forward on his knees “You’re having a baby” _

_ “I am. You’ll be having a little brother or sister” Peggy shuffled closer to Noah and put her arms around him from behind, resting her head on his shoulder for a moment and then looked to him “It’s an exciting thing. Your dad and I love each other very much and we want this family to grow. It doesn’t mean that you aren’t enough, it just means that we wanted to have another baby along with giving you a brother or sister. Dad was an only child and said how he always wanted a sibling and I had a brother and he was my best friend” _

_ Noah listened to what Peggy was saying and let it sink in. The news of her being pregnant was such a shock that he didn’t have time to see the genuine good side of it. Peggy pressed her lips against his cheek, leaving a lipstick mark against his cheek “You’ll always going to be my number one” she whispered, putting her forehead against his temple. _

_ She put her hand on the dog tags she gave him that were around his neck “We’ll always be here” _

Noah pulled his dog tags up from under his shirt and stared at them for a moment. Holding them against his lips and letting the cool metal run through his body. He held them tightly in his clenched hand. He kept himself occupied by getting up and making himself a cup of coffee. They did this all the time when waiting for the other, it was natural to make themselves feel at home, but he couldn’t do that right now when he was so on edge about everything. Not with those file papers staring at him in the face. Noah sat down on the couch and put his coffee on the table, he put his hands together and pressed them against his forehead.

“I know I didn't talk to you last night. But I am praying to you now. Please don’t let what I’m thinking about Natasha be true. That she's lying or...Natasha means everything and if it comes out that everything was built up on a lie...please don’t let me lose her... _ amen _ ” Noah then cleared his throat after his small prayer and leaned back on the sofa. He had been screwed over by god his whole life and had only been given a helping hand every so often. He needed that right now.

Then all of a sudden, the lock on the door clicked. Noah put the paper in his back pockets as he did and turned as the door opened. And then heard.

“Hey” 


	5. Chapter 5

Natasha saw the glum look on his face and knew this wasn’t some social visit, she also noticed how his clothes were damp as hell, as Noah stood up, Natasha said in a sigh as she walked towards him “Jesus you’re soaking, I’ve got some clothes of yours in the wardrobe from the other night go-”

“Get off” Noah threw his arm out of her hold as soon as she touched him. Natasha’s eyebrows pinched together, she shook her head “What’s up you?”

Noah took out the pieces of paper that he had in his back pocket. Viciously unfolding them and holding them up for her to see. When she saw the papers, her face dropped.

The file papers on Peggy. One was his and one was  _ real _ .

“The hell is this?” Noah snapped “This file on my mother given to me  _ why  _ is the one SHIELD gave to Steve have question marks around her death date?”

Natasha sighed and slipped her hands into her back pockets, she bowed her head to the floor. Feeling Noah’s eyes burning on her. Noah leaned forward and took hold of her chin, lifting her head up and making her look at him in the eyes, Noah shook his head “Just tell me the goddamn truth, Nat”

Natasha takes hold of his hand and slowly pulls it down, she walks over to her mantelpiece and rests her hand against it, taking a deep breath and strumming her finger tips against it. She closed her eyes and threw her head back to the ceiling “I never wanted it to get so deep”

Noah remained silent for a moment “To get so deep?”

Natasha looked at him “Noah I wanted to tell you-”

“ _ Nat _ !”

“I knew her” Natasha blurted out. Natasha watched as the blood drained away from his face. Natasha hitched her breath and said in a more cracked voice “I knew your mother”

Noah’s words got jammed in his throat, he had no idea what to say.  _ His  _ breath then hitched “Wha...you knew-how when? Why didn’t you-”

“Should we just do this one question at a time?” Natasha said gently. Noah clenched his jaw and took a deep breath, then nodding. Natasha motioned her hand to the couch for him to sit beside her as she sat down. But Noah shook his head “No. I don’t wanna sit”

Natasha sighed and muttered “Okay…” she tucked her hands in between her legs. She slowly ran her tongue across her bottom lip as she tried to gather the correct words “Your... _ god _ ...your mom was taken by hydra. That part's true. But Hydra was in connection to the Red Room. Your mom was taken for a trade between them, she was the best agent out there, she knew how to combat, Hydra knew because of something like the relationship with Steve. It put her on their map given she trained him...so they traded the Red Room for something. They traded her…”

Natasha rubbed her forehead and sighed as she could hear herself just rambling on “She trained me” she looked up to his stern yet shocked face. Natasha shrugged “When you compliment me saying that some of moves were like your moms. That’s because she taught them me”

Noah’s breath shook, he looked down to the file paper of his mother and then became even more confused “But you...you were trained so many years after she was taken at least…” he suddenly stopped talking. Natasha’s breath shook and nodded “Yeah. She erm...she was given something to slow her age process the year they took her”

“Like you and me?”

Natasha rubbed her lips together and nodded “Yeah like you and me”

Noah then dropped down to sit on the arm of the sofa chair opposite her. Natasha gulped heavily “But I did think she was dead Noah honestly I did”

“Why did you think she was dead?”

“Because she broke the biggest rule that the teachers were set. Don’t get close...but she got close to me” Noah’s eyes dropped back onto her “You?”

“Before they made me a  _ cold blooded assassin _ I was the most terrified out of all the girls, and I knew Peggy was different, she was more motherly and  _ forgiving  _ than the rest. She broke the rule one night by telling me the truth, saying how she was as much of a prisoner here than I was. She couldn’t leave because your family was being monitored and if she tried to escape she was told that you would all have been killed. When they found out what she said, I never saw her again after that...and that’s when I changed. Because I no longer had her as a freaking comfort blanket”

Noah held his hand up as he tried to keep up but also got confused “So if she broke this utmost sacred rule. Why am I not six feet under right now?”

“Well that’s when I had the feeling that she couldn’t be dead or something. When I met you”

Noah let out a laugh filled with disbelief as he looked away from her. He didn’t even notice the fact that she was tearing up and she never does that. It was purely because she knew that right now she was hurting him. She went to say something as she watched him stand up but she just didn’t know what to say.

Noah ran his free hand through his hair as he held on tightly to the pieces of paper in his mouth. He bowed his head down and said in a strained voice as he scratched his neck “So let me get this straight. When you met me you realized my mother was alive but  _ didn’t  _ tell me? I let myself trust you Tash! I haven’t trusted anyone in a long fucking time and I...I would have trusted you with my life, hell I would have laid down my life for you because I thought that’s what we are”

Natasha sat up on her knees as she shuffled to the end of the couch to get closer to him “It is, Noah-”

“Then why! Why not tell me? I want to an answer!  _ Why _ ?!”

“Because I was ordered not to!” Natasha yelled back, the first time she had ever raised her voice at him. She sighed and sat back on her knees and returned to speaking more gently “I told Fury what I knew thinking that he would tell you, but he told me not to because it was compromise your mind and you would have gone looking for her”

“You’re damn right I would have gone looking for her! This is my mother for Christ sakes” Noah knelt down in front of her, his hands slightly raised due his stress. As if he was going to cup her cheeks. She saw how he was crying through betrayal and anger “Don’t you understand? I am the way I am because of what happened to her”

“I know” she whispered, Natasha put her hand on his shoulder but he moved away as soon as she tried to do so and stand back up Noah had his back to her again, roughly rubbing the back of his head once more “So what? Fury pushed this under the rug? As if it was never an issue”

“He said that after what happened, they probably did something to her that would change her mind. That even if she wasn't dead, he said that she probably wasn’t the woman that she once was, that the woman she was...the  _ mother  _ she was, is gone”

Noah took sharp breaths as he turned back around to look at her “That was  _ my  _ goddamn decision to make. None of you knew the mother she was only I knew!” Noah slammed the palm of his hand against the wall.

Natasha slowly stood up “I wanted to tell you but how could I?”

“Just say it!”

Natasha pressed her palms together “I was trying to protect you”

Noah slowly shook his head as his hand fell on the door handle, as he turned it he muttered “That’s bullshit, Nat” Noah didn’t let her say anything more as he turned and left the apartment.

He stopped and turned to her “So this is all this has been these years? You kept close to me out of guilt”

Natasha shook her head “No! No I kept close to you because I…” she sighed through frustration in her words just totally making a fool out of her, she took a deep breath and said “Because out of everyone I’ve ever known. You make me feel safe”

“Yeah?...well you don’t make me feel so safe anymore” Noah said in a low whisper and then turned back around and didn’t stop walking this time.

“Noah... _ Noah _ !” her plea wasn’t enough to keep him with her. The door just slammed in her face. Natasha’s heads flew to the back of her head as a surprising tear ran down her cheek. She turned away from the door, over to her window that looked over the city.

“God” she cried in a whisper as she dropped her hands and kept her eyes out to the city before closing them as she bowed her head in her hand and rubbed her forehead.

* * *

Steve didn’t see Noah that night. He didn’t see Noah until they both got in a quinjet with Phil Coulson. Even then, he hardly spoke. He sat across the way from Steve, in his shield uniform and his arms crossed. Glancing to Steve every now and then as Steve looked through the tablet at their fellow _ team mates _ . Having to hear Phil gush over Steve. Rambling on like a starstruck teenage girl. 

Eventually Noah couldn’t take much more of it and rolled his eyes, then groaning and asking Phil to  _ reel it in _ . Still not saying anything to Steve who still had no idea what was going on regarding the whole Peggy thing. He went to just before they got on the jet but Noah cut him off and said  _ not now _ , because in reality. Noah still didn’t know himself what was going on and with Steve asking him he wouldn’t know what to say.

So for now. Although every fiber in his being was thinking about Peggy. He held it off, they had a mission to after all.

As the jet landed and the door lowered, standing there waiting for them was Natasha. Steve looked to Noah as he watched his face turn to stone.

“Agent Romanoff, I’m sure you remember Captain Rogers” Phil briefly introduced. Natasha kept her eyes on Noah, she glanced to Steve and gave a tight smile “Hi again” she looked back to Noah and saw how he gave her one cold look, as Phil then added in an awkward mutter “And Agent Carter”

“They need you on the bridge their starting the face trace” Natasha said to Phil, getting him to walk on, Noah then following him. Natasha closed her eyes and sighed as she past him. Opening her eyes to Steve looked from Noah to Natasha, she then asked “Has he said anything?”

“Not one word”

“Figures” Natasha and Steve began to walk through the run way, Steve sighed “I tried to ask him but he just told me to leave it alone and walked away”

“Yeah well don’t take it personally Noah has a habit of walking away”

Steve looked to her “You still stand by him though”

Natasha then looked to him, with a faint smile she shrugged “Someone’s got to”

Steve and Natasha alongside Bruce Banner who soon joined them entered the main base of the helicarrier where Coulson and Noah were. Steve looked around the place and couldn’t believe what he was seeing. He owed Nick ten bucks. Natasha walked over to Noah who was looking at all the data they had on Clint’s condition.

“You’ve not told Steve?”

Noah looked up to Natasha and then glanced to Steve “You didn’t tell me the truth for six years I think Steve can last a couple of days”

“Don’t punish your father for what I’ve done”

Noah stood up and swiped off of Clint’s profile and muttered before walking away “Don’t make me look like the bad guy here Nat, it doesn’t suit you” Natasha silently groaned under her breath as he walked away and looked to Clint’s picture.

Noah walked over to Bruce Banner and shook his hand “Good to meet you, Doctor Banner. I’m Agent Carter” Bruce nodded and looked to Steve “Steve Roger’s boy?”

Noah tightly smiled “Peggy Carter’s boy”

Bruce just nodded and went along with it. Of course he knew who Peggy Carter was. But he didn’t understand the reasoning for Noah to dismiss being Steve’s son so much, but then again he doesn’t know him.

* * *

The helicarrier soon became more full when Steve and Natasha returned from their tip on Loki. Returning with them was Thor, Son of Odin and Loki’s brother. Noah had never met him but he had read about him. He was bigger in person.

Then there was Tony. Noah hadn’t seen Tony in two years since Nick brought along himself and Natasha in attempts to convince Tony to join the Avengers. Before that Noah hadn’t seen Tony since Howard’s death. Nick thought bringing Noah would convince Tony but he denied. Said how not even a man who was deemed to be family could make him join this  _ boy band. _ His words.

But it seems Pepper may have gave him motivation, he couldn’t think of anyone that could.

Tony walked into the main base where everyone was and stopped when he saw Noah, shaking his hand “Noah. It’s been a while”

“Sure has”

“Any progress with daddy dearest” Tony dryly teased. Noah mocked a sarcastic laugh “And you wonder why I never call”

Tony raised his eyebrows “Do I sense some tension?”

“Tony” Natasha scowled “Leave him”

Noah ignored her comment, he didn’t even look at her. Tony looked to Steve who was giving him the same cold yet protective look, Tony looked back to Noah and muttered “Did your mom ever have taste?”

Noah looked to him, his eyebrows pinched together “What did you just say?”

Usually Noah would let something like that go as a joke  but given the information he had been given about Peggy right now, any jokes made to her just rubbed salt on the wound even more. He was extra sensitive. Natasha walked over to him and looked in his eyes whilst he still looked to Tony who remained silent and a little confused. 

“Drop it Noah” Natasha muttered. Noah took his eyes to her and saw the plea in her eyes. Noah rubbed his lips together and took a breath before turning away and walking down the hall away from everyone.

“What’s that all about?” Tony asked.

“Just keep those shitty little jokes to yourself for the time being, Stark, got it?” Natasha said as she turned around to Tony. Tony looked up and saw how Steve followed Noah down the hall “Oh. Daddy’s got it covered”

Natasha looked over her shoulder and watched Steve call Noah’s name as he jogged down the hall. Sighing to herself she sat down on the chair she was originally sat on and rested her head in her hand “Fantastic”

Steve finally caught up to Noah and grabbed his arm to turn him around “Noah”

“What?” Noah snapped as he looked to Steve “I overreacted I know-”

“No it’s not that it’s...alright why did you?”

Noah sighed and looked back down the hall before saying “Talking about my mom in anyway is a sensitive topic right now”

Steve hitched a breath and shook his head “Can you please talk to me?”

Noah shook his head “Why? So you can get to know me? I’m giving you a free pass in going through this whole redeeming yourself as a father. I don’t care-”

“But I do” Steve said gently “I want to get to know you, because like it or not Noah we’re family”

Noah stared at Steve for a moment, then bowed his head for the same amount of time. He took a deep breath and looked up, taking his eyes back to Steve “Mom’s not dead”

Steve’s felt a lump hit his throat. He looked at Noah, purely confused. Steve shook his head “What?”

“She’s not dead. They put something in her to make her age slowly, like you me and Natasha”

“How do you-”

“The men that took her, they were part of Hydra. They traded her for something and put her in the Red Room which is a training facility for young girls. One of those young girls was Natasha. Turns out the big secret she’s kept from me all these years was that my mother trained her, got close to her which ultimately got her  _ killed  _ as Natasha thinks because she never saw her again”

Steve ran his fingers through his hair and let out a deep breath as he scratched the back of his head “Okay...so what makes you think she’s alive now?”

“If my mother was given something to make her physically stronger. Do you really think she’d die so easily?”

Steve saw his point “No I guess not but-”

“I’m putting my focus on this mission we have. But after. I’m finding her”

Steve saw how there was no chance in trying to tell Noah otherwise. This was a hell of a long shot. But Noah was not going to back down. Then again, if she was still out there, Steve wouldn’t stop until she was back with them. So if there was a chance, he would take it. Steve nodded “I’ll help”

“You don’t have-”

“ _ I’ll help _ . She means the world to me too”

Noah sighed and nodded as he shrugged “Fine. But first our heads need to be on this”

Steve nodded “Yeah I agree”

“Good”

“Is this why you’re being so cold with Natasha? Because of this-”

“I trusted her for the first time in god knows how long and she let me down. Yes this is why I am being cold with her” Noah then began to walk away again.

“Maybe she was just trying to protect you-”

“You know” Noah started as he turned back around and then continued “My mom and dad never told me about you because they were trying to protect me. I am sick of the people I love keeping secrets from me as a way to  _ protect _ . I don’t need any goddamn protection”

Noah took a deep breath through his nose and said as he went to turn around “I’ll be back in a minute I just need some air”

Steve let him be and watched Noah walk away to give him his own space and time to calm down. 

* * *

Noah found himself walking into Tony and Bruce’s lab as he saw them messing around, looking like they were doing something that was not what they were supposed to be doing, he then saw Nick looking unimpressed.

Tony looked to Noah “Ah he returns. Say, Noah you’ve been roaming these parts for god knows how long. What  _ is  _ phase 2?”

Before Noah could even answer that, Steve came marching in, slapping an old Hydra gun down on the counter “Phase 2 is shield using the cube to make weapons. Sorry computers was moving a little slow for me”

Noah looked to the gun as Nick tried to calm the situation down. He walked over to it and in the middle of Nick trying to speak, he quickly snapped “My parents created shield to get rid of hydra. Not bring their god damn weapons on board”

Tony pulled an awkward face “ _ Parents _ . That’s gotta sting, Rogers”

Noah sighed and rolled his eyes “Tony shut the fuck up”

Tony smirked and then turned around his computer screen to show a missile that shield had been making. Steve stared hard at Nick “I was wrong, Director, the world hasn’t changed a bit”

Natasha and Thor then came through the door, as soon as they did Bruce asked her “Did you know about this?”

“Probably” Noah muttered under his breath.

Natasha glanced to him and scoffed “Now is not the time” she looked to Bruce “You want to think about removing yourself from this environment, doctor”

Bruce laughed “I was in Calcutta I was pretty well removed”

Natasha took a step forward “Loki is manipulating you”

Noah then shook his head and extended his arm to Bruce “What exactly did you do to get him here, Nat?”

Natasha groaned and scowled at him “He didn’t come here because I batted my eyelashes and neither did you”

“No you didn’t you just acted like we had a relationship”

“Is that what you really think?” Natasha asked, feeling a little hurt.

Tony crossed his arms “Is this a break up?”

Bruce then dismissed their tiff and gotten back down to business by asking why Shield had been making weapons of mass destruction using the tesseract. Nick tried to explain once again by using Thor as an example of them not being alone.

“I thought humans were more evolved than this” Thor said sternly, Nick turned to him and shot back “Excuse me, did we come to your planet and blow stuff up?”

Nick started to argue with Thor. Steve began to argue with Tony whilst Bruce tried to disable the matter. Noah and Natasha just stood there in silence and glanced to each other every now and then.

Nick then noticed how this hostile atmosphere may begin to make Bruce feel a little antsy.

“You need to step away”

“Why shouldn’t the guy let off a little steam?” Tony asked as he put his hand on Steve’s shoulder, only for it to be slapped away “You know damn well why back off”

“Oh I’m starting to want you to make me”

Noah took a step towards them “Cool it down. Why make the situation worse and get Banner in a heated environment that could make him snap?”

“You people are so petty. And tiny” Thor lightly laughed.

“You better stop pretending to be a hero” Steve snarled to Tony.

“A hero? Like you and your boy here? You’re both just laboratory experiment, Rogers, everything special about you came out of a bottle”

Steve stepped closer to Tony and muttered sternly “You can say whatever you want about me but leave him out of it”

Noah scoffed “I can handle myself”

“Yeah so you keep telling me. You don’t need protecting, right?” Steve said in a rather harsh tone. Noah shook his head “No I don’t especially not from you. I already had a father I sure as hell don’t need another”

Natasha cleared her throat “Everyone needs to step away”

Noah turned and pointed to her “Really? Is that what we need to do?”

Natasha shook her head “Do not start this now”

Usually Natasha could calm him down within a second. But with it being her that he’s so hurt by and angry towards, that’s pretty hard to do. Before Noah had the chance to argue, Steve put his hand on his shoulder and lightly pulled him back “You’re right now is not the place to do this, Noah” Noah turned and went to argue back, but when he saw the look on Steve’s face, he knew that he was right. He was doing exactly what he was telling Steve and Tony not to do.

“Agent Romanoff would you escort Doctor Banner back to his-”

“Where?” Bruce cut him off “You rented my room”

“The cell was just in case-”

“In case you needed to kill me but you can’t, I know I’ve tried”

Everyone stared at him with a different look on their face. Especially Noah, because Noah knew what it was like to do such a thing. Long after Peggy died and a couple years after Daniel followed, Evelyn was in an accident and they told him that there was little chance she would survive and with him thinking he had no-one he finally snapped and went to do it. It was only when he got the call from the hospital merely a few seconds before that he was told she would be okay and he realized what he had almost done.

Bruce began to ramble as his anger became more and more high, he ended up with the scepter in his hand and then there was suddenly a tracker going off for the tesseract from Bruce’s computer “Sorry kids you don’t get to see my party trick after all”

The bickering then started again.

“You’re not going alone”

“You gonna stop me” Tony slapped Steve’s arm away from him.

“Put on the suit let’s find out”

“I’m not afraid to hit an old man”

“Put on the suit” Steve snarled.

Noah’s eyes then went to Bruce as he said “Oh my god”

Then out of no-where there was an explosion.


	6. Chapter 6

Noah groaned as he picked himself up. Seeing Steve and Tony race out of the labs to go and get ready for what was about to happen. Noah pulled himself up as he put his hand on the counter. Getting to his feet he looked up and there was one person he couldn’t see. 

_Where the hell was Natasha?_

Nick soon contacted her through the earpiece “Romanoff”

_ “We’re okay”  _ Natasha spoke on behalf of herself and Bruce. But for some reason Noah had a sick feeling in his stomach that Bruce was feeling the exactly opposite. He was already angry, getting hit by an explosion like that could be exactly what triggers him off.

Noah made it to the main base of the helicarrier to see agents, including Maria racing around to try and track down where the intruders were coming from. Before he even had the chance to help, two guys from the engine room came running in.

Nick turned to them “What the hell are you two doin’ up here-”

“It’s Banner!” One of them exclaimed, causing Noah to turn around and walk over to them, he dropped his arms from being crossed “What about Banner?”

The same mechanic looked to him and gulped heavily. He knew how close he and Natasha were. Everyone within shield no matter what department knew that. He glanced to his fellow colleague and then said in a nervous voice “Banner is turning”

Noah raised his eyebrows as his eyes slightly widened “And you left Romanoff with him  _ alone _ ?!”

“She told us to get outta there so we came here to help”

Noah groaned under his breath and walked away before Nick could say anything. He saw Thor across the way and wasted no time. As he walked back out of the base back to the engine room he waved at Thor “Thor. With me”

Thor nodded and quickly followed him “Where are we going?”

Noah sighed and muttered “To stop my best friend from getting herself killed”

“What?”

“It’s Banner. He’s in _Hulk mode_ and Romanoff is with him”

Thor nodded as he understood and saw the look on Noah’s face “You care for Romanoff”

Noah looked to Thor and as he looked straight ahead again, he sternly nodded “Even when I don’t want to”

“She is your lady?”

Noah, a little taken back by the personal question, cleared his throat and muttered “She’s my something alright”

Thor didn’t quite understand, but he didn’t question it. There were more important things than a little bit of gossip. The two of them heard a roar, Banner was now in full Hulk mode.

“Shit we gotta hurry” Noah whispered under his breath. The two men then began to run, Noah jumped down the stairs to the engine room and saw Natasha running with Hulk chasing behind her. He hit her and she went fling, her back up against the fall, Hulk went to strike her.

“Thor!” Noah yelled, the God was already on it and flung himself forward, him and Hulk crashing through the wall into another section of the helicarrier. Noah watched them for a moment and then looked down to Natasha, who back was up against the wall. Noah leaned down and picked her up. He looked at her up and down, then in her eyes and asked “Alright?”

Natasha gulped heavily and nodded “Yeah. I’m good”

“Right” Noah dropped his hands from her arms.

“Noah-”

“Tash” Noah shook his head “Don’t. I’m allowed to worry about you. But it doesn’t change anything”

“Noah please just list-”

_ “It’s Barton he took out our systems, he’s heading for the detention level. Does anybody copy?” _

Noah stared into Natasha’s eyes. He wished he could just forget about the fact that she had been lying to him for all these years by just looking into her eyes, but he couldn’t. He looked away from her to walk away and said “Take care of him, Nat”

Natasha watched him jog through the section that Thor and Hulk crashed through, putting her hand to the earpiece she replied “This is Agent Romanoff, I copy”

_ “Carter. Get to engine room three, Rogers is in need of assistance”  _ Nick ordered him. Noah took his gun out of his holster “This is Agent Carter, I copy and I’m in pursuit”

* * *

The fight with Loki’s army was finished. Thor was missing as well as Bruce. Loki had escaped. Worst of all they lost one of their best agents. Agent Coulson was gone. Noah knew that he could be a bit of a dick to him sometimes when he used to brag about great Steve was. But in the long run he was one of the few agents that he actually liked. His death crushed him deep down. But he had to get on with things. Natasha had successfully gotten Clint out of Loki’s mind control, he had to go and see him. After all, no matter how long he and Natasha had been partners. He was partners with Clint before hand. 

Noah made his way to _ Infirmary 31-F  _ where Clint was being kept. He saw that Natasha was still there through the window, he still decided to go in. Noah smiled to Clint, leaning against the door frame “Hey killer, how’re you feeling?”

Clint nodded as he sipped his water “Better. Now. How’re you doing with this whole Roger’s thing?”

Noah looked to Natasha “I’ve been better”

Natasha looked away from him, dropping her hand on Clint’s arm she muttered “I’ll be back in a bit” she slid her hand off of his shoulder, looking to Noah as she walked past him and out of the room. Noah looked at her over his shoulder and then looked back to Clint, raising his eyebrows to him with a tight smile as he dropped his arms and walked in the room.

Clint sighed as he dragged the palm of his hand down his mouth and motioned his hand to out of the room “She’s really sorry you know”

“So she told you?”

“Bout knowing your mom. Yeah just now...look, Noah I know that it’s a shitty situation. But she panicked”

Noah shook his head, closing his eyes as he waved his hand “Please don’t do that, Clint. You know how big of a deal trusting is to me. I put everything-all my trust into her. If she had just told me at the start-”

“What would you have done? Noah, seriously. You would have never of had the relationship you’ve had with her these past six years and you know it. I know the fact that she lied to you feels like a huge betrayal and I know you  _ hate  _ hearing this but she was just trying to protect you. Or even herself”

Noah lightly scoffed “Protecting herself? From what?”

“From losing you, dummy. You’re her best friend. You’re the best thing in her life. Like it or not Noah, she loves you”

Noah scratched the back of his head and then heard Clint say “Why did you choose not to kill her that night, Noah?”

Noah took his eyes to Clint, still sitting on his bed he let out a long shrug “It was your call that night. You chose to let her live. Why?”

Noah crossed his arms and took a deep breath, he rolled his eyes and bluntly admitted “Because I used to be like her. I lost my way, got into some bad shit and joining SHIELD, even if I did get in because of my parents. SHIELD still let me in and I found my way here...I put my job on the line for her because” he stopped as he let out a breathless laugh “Because we like to think we do a lot of saving, but most of the time we don’t. Especially not us we just get a target and we go for it. But getting the chance to actually put someone on the right path felt right. Helping  _ her  _ felt right”

Clint nodded with a small smile. It’s rare Noah was this open. Especially with anyone that wasn’t about the lady of the subject. Noah ran his fingers through his hair and groaned “Argh. I just need time. I’m not an idiot I know I can’t live without her by my side. But I just need a little while to be angry”

“Understandable. Just don’t be angry for too long, seeing you two not strapped to each other’s hip is kind of weird”

Noah let out a small laugh and shook his head “We weren’t that bad-”

“Yes you were” Clint stood up, walking over to the washroom.

Noah looked down to the floor when he heard Clint turn on the sink and then called to him “I’m going to try and find her”

He heard Clint turn the sink off and walked over to the door frame “Find your mom?”

Noah nodded “Go ahead. Tell me I’m crazy”

Clint stared at him and shrugged as he walked back into the washroom “Hey nothing wrong with a bit of crazy. I’d say go for it, if there’s no word she’s dead that means there would be a chance. You do realise it’ll be a small chance? I know she’s had whatever she’s had put in her but still-”

“I know. Natasha never knew what they did to her. But I’m more than willing to give it a shot. Even if I have to hunt down the old hydra bastards myself and get it out of them”

Clint laughed “Oh so now you’re going to go round punching old men?”

“Old  _ nazi’s  _ I think there’s a difference” Noah tilted his head with a small smirk.

“True”

The door then opened again. It wasn’t Natasha, it was Steve who came through the door.

“Time to go”

Noah raised his eyebrows “Really? Where?”

Steve shrugged and then nodded to him “I’ll explain everything to you on the way. Can you fly one of those jets?”

Clint then came back out of the washroom, wiping his hand with a towel “I can” Steve looked to Clint and then to Noah for some reassurance, and he got some by Noah giving Steve a nod.

“You got a suit?”

Clint nodded.

“Then suit up” Steve ordered, then turning around and leaving the room. Noah looked to Clint, with a smirk on his face, he raised his arms as he shrugged. Clint let out a small laugh “So that’s daddy dearest”

“That’s  _ Steve _ ”

Clint nodded and threw his towel to the side “Well. Dad, Steve whatever you want to call him. He’s sure as hell bossy like you” he then raised his eyebrows and teased as he walked out of the washroom “See where you get those baby blues”

Noah rolled his eyes and scoffed a small laugh, then leaving the room himself “You heard him. Suit up”

* * *

Noah grumbled a cough as he looked up to the crumbling buildings. This was a whole lot worse than even anticipated. Now there was a missile heading to the city and Tony was already on his way to stop it. With pure hope, he gets to it in time. He looked over and saw Steve getting hit in the stomach and dropping to the floor. 

Noah jumped over a car, with a metal shard he put one through the back of the alien, standing on it as it fell to the floor and then went over to Steve, holding his hand out. Steve looked up to him and slapped his hand in his. Noah pulled him up “No time for resting”

Steve let out a breathless laugh “Now’s the time where you crack jokes?”

_ “I can close it. Can anybody copy? I can shut the portal down”  _ Natasha said.

“Do it!” Steve and Noah ordered in unison.

Tony interrupted by asking Natasha to hold off closing the portal whilst getting rid of this missile. Steve kept his eyes on the sky and then heard Noah grumble “Oh no” he looked to him “What?”

_ “I know just where to put it” _

Noah nodded and pointed to his earpiece “That”

The two men looked back up to the sky, Steve shook his head “Stark, you know that’s a one way trip”

Tony said nothing, clearly he was trying not to think about that part. Noah took a step forward “Tony. There’s gotta be another way”

_ “Sure. Can you think of one...no? Didn’t think so” _

It felt like everything around them froze. Noah kept his eyes fixed on the wormhole as he watched the man who was practically like a cousin to him enter it. Suddenly, the aliens around them fell to the floor, but Tony wasn’t in sight. Steve, Noah and Thor all exchanged glances to each other, looking back up to the sky, Steve ordered “Close it”

Noah bowed his head down and cursed under his breath. Feeling Steve’s hand pat his back and grip onto his shoulder before slowly dropping down, not giving Noah the chance to shake him off. But to be honest, Noah didn’t even know if he’d do that. He looked back up to the sky and saw the worm hole shut, then disappearing. And from the portal, came Tony Stark falling in the sky.

“Son of a gun”

Noah hit Thor on the arm “He’s not slowing down!”

Thor began to spin his hammer, ready to fly up to catch him. Before he had the chance to. Hulk already beat him to it and caught hold of Tony, breaking their fall on a car and lying Tony on the floor. The three of them raced over to them, ripping off Tony’s mask. He wasn’t awake. He wasn’t waking up. Noah fell back from crouching on his feet “Shit. Tony. Tony come on” he whispered.

Hulk then roared so loud that it woke Tony but, scaring the life out of him as if he was just napping “What the hell! What just happened? Please tell me nobody kissed me”

Steve looked up, taking deep breaths “We won”

Noah looked to Steve and then let out a breathless laugh of relief. Running his fingers through his hair and hearing Tony say “Alright hey. Alright good job guys” Tony then groaned “Let’s just not come in tomorrow, let’s just take a day off” Tony looked to Noah and pointed to him “You ever tried Shawarma? There’s a shawarma joint bout two blocks from here, I don’t know what it is but I want to try it”

Noah nodded and then corrected “It’s actually about three blocks from here. And it’s good. But we’ve actually got one more thing to do”

They all looked up to the Stark tower, where Loki was currently hiding. Tony looked to the building, then to Noah and raised his eyebrows “Then Shawarma after”

* * *

The team gathered around Thor as he and Loki vanished, returning back to asgard. Noah walked over to Tony and shook his hand “Say hi to Pepper for me”

“Sure” he opened his car door and added “And hey don’t be a stranger”

Noah crossed his arms and nodded “Alright”

Bruce came over before getting into Tony’s car and shook Noah’s hand “It’s been a pleasure working with you, Agent Carter. Till next time”

“Let’s hope next time isn’t too soon, though huh?” Noah said with a witty smirk. Bruce raised his eyebrows and nodded as he got in the car “I’ll agree with you on that one”

Noah stepped back as he watched Tony and Bruce drive away. Noah then turned around and saw Clint making his way over to them, slapping his hand in Noah’s and patting his back as they pulled their bodies together briefly, Clint dropped his hand and slid them in his pockets “So you’re really going to do it?”

“I really am” Noah nodded.

Clint shrugged and looked to the sky though his sunglasses, he then took them off as he looked down for a moment and said as he looked into Noah’s eyes “You ever need help with any of it. You know you can always call right?”

“Yeah, thanks”

Clint slapped Noah’s arm and whispered “Just talk to her” Noah looked over Clint’s shoulder to the red head that was saying goodbye to Steve. As Clint then moved his way over to the captain. Noah slid his hands in his pockets and walked over to her. Natasha rubbed the palm of her hands together and then looked up to to him.

Noah rubbed his lips together, not looking at her directly in the eyes he said “You did good yesterday”

“So did you”

Noah bowed his head down for a moment and said “I’m going after her, Nat”

“I know, I knew you would as soon as you found out” Natasha stared at him and saw how he was trying to avoid looking at her in the eyes, she reached his arm and gave it a squeeze to try and get him to look at her “Noah. I want to help-”

“Nat I” Noah groaned, he closed his eyes and brought his clenched hands up, then slowly opening them up and pressing his palms together. He finally looked at her in the eyes “You know how much you mean to me. Which is why you gotta know how hurt I feel”

“I know and-”

“I know you’re sorry” he spoke more softly “Give me some time to process it all”

Natasha understood and could hardly argue with him on that. He did only just find all this out merely a few days ago. It was all still fresh for him, she knew how badly she had hurt him. Because she knew that he didn’t trust anyone as much as he trusted her. And by keeping that secret, no matter what her motive was, that trust he had for her had chipped away and she had to earn it.

“I understand. Just know that” she shrugged “I’m always here”

“I know that” Noah muttered. He then nodded to the car “You better get going, Clint’s gonna want his sleep”

“Yeah” Natasha said in a whisper as Clint made his way back over to them and got in the car. Noah turned around and walked over to Steve “Well I’d bid you a heartfelt goodbye but you’re just gonna be in the same place I am within a couple of minutes so” they were getting a jet back to DC together.

Steve let out a light laugh as Noah passed him to his car “See you in a couple of minutes”

Noah didn’t go straight to the airport, there was somewhere else he needed to go before hand.

* * *

Noah pulled his car up and walked in the cemetery. He hadn’t visited Daniel’s grave in a while now, and considering his life was put on the line just 24 hours ago and he found all of this stuff about Peggy, he had to pay Daniel a visit. 

Noah stopped and stared at the headstone.

**Daniel Edward Sousa**

**1920-1972**

**Beloved husband and Father. Forever in our hearts.**

Noah sighed and said as he sat down beside the grave “Hey pops” he rested his head against the grave for a moment, with his knees up to the level of his chest, he rested his arms on his knee caps and took a breath through his nose, then bowing his head down and turning it to the stone “So I got something to tell you”

He rubbed the palm of his hands together “So, I told you about Natasha. Turns out she’s been keeping a secret from me...mom didn’t die that night, in fact she may still be alive” he closed his eyes and lightly laughed “I know you probably can’t believe it because I’m still trying to process into doing that too and I’ve known for a couple of days now”

Noah opened his eyes and looked out to the view, the flower beds and small lanky trees, he rubbed his lips together and raised his eyebrows “You got a nice view here, pops...hopefully mom will see it” he then looked back to the grave “Sorry you died for nothing, but you were right all along. All I can try and do is make sure that the investigation you died for gets complete. As much as I will try and find mom for myself and Eve. I’m also doing this for you”

He put his hand on top of the grave “I promised you that I’d do the family name proud...sorry I’ve not been doing a better job. But I’m trying”

He dropped his hand down “I’m going to bring her home”

* * *

Noah walked down the hall to his apartment, Steve with by his side and then finally asking “So where did you go?”

“There was just some place I had to go to, I always go when I’m in New York” Noah muttered as he put his key in the lock and opened the door, he stepped in his apartment with Steve behind him, he walked to the spare room and turned on the light. The spare room was like his office with a cork board hanging on the wall, Noah turned around and pointed to the two file papers on Peggy “Pass me those”

Steve did so and handed over the papers. Noah stuck them both up with his blue pins. Stepping back, he looked at it. He looked how big the board was and how he was going to need every inch of it to be covered to try and find his mother..

Noah took a deep breath and nodded “Let’s get started”

 


	7. Chapter 7

Noah didn’t rest. He couldn’t rest. He was constantly up and on the phone to the connections that he had all over the country. 

There were fifty states in this country. Fifty states. Millions of cities and it was like finding a needle in a haystack. She may not even be in this country. But it was the best place to start. This place had been her home for fourteen years. It’s where her children were, her husband and Steve. He often wondered if she heard that Steve was alive. Steve himself even wondered that.

It had been a week and he had not stopped for a single second. He even forgot to eat at times and it took Steve to have to keep putting it in front of his face. They had been a good unit this past week. A week isn’t long sure, but Steve hasn’t had the door slammed in his face yet. So there’s always that.

The progress with Natasha was barely anything at all. He hadn’t called, text. When they were at work he was just professional. It was as if that small heart to heart he had with her just after the battle of New York didn’t even happen. Natasha was an independent woman but she felt insanely lonely. She was an independent woman who  _ wanted  _ Noah by her side.

The fact is though, he wasn’t doing this on purpose to make her feel bad. He was just so focused on finding Peggy that he hardly spoke to anyone. His family, being Steve and Sharon were getting worried about him. Evelyn didn’t have a clue what was going on. Noah told Sharon not to say a word until he had a lead. And right now he had nothing. Besides, Evelyn would just say that he was being crazy.

Maybe he was. But it doesn’t mean he will stop.

Noah will do his work in Avengers tower once it is up and ready but for now he is still in the SHIELD base in DC. He had to keep his investigation out of his work as ordered by Nick. Although he said that if Noah come up with any solid leads he could run it by him but until then he had to keep it as his personal life. Agents around SHIELD had gotten word about what he was doing though, they also heard about him and Natasha and found it as quite the scandal. SHIELD isn’t a place for gossip usually, then again there’s hardly any gossip. So when there is, it’s talked about non stop.

Noah headed down to the labs where two young scientist who he favours in to look at his work was there “Fitzsimmons” he called to them. The two looked up to him as he walked through the door and tried to keep their cool. The man was a SHIELD living legend after all, not to mention the son of Jemma’s idol. They had only been with SHIELD for a few months since graduating from the academy.

Noah held up the vial that he was ordered to bring to get checked out “Sample of flesh from those freakish alien things we fought in New York” he cringed as he put it in front of them.

Jemma looked to him and said with a smile “Chitauri”

Noah raised his eyebrows as he both nodded and shrugged “Sure that. What’re you need to run samples on that for anyway?”

Leo then clarified for him as Jemma took it over to the right counter where they test their samples “It is to understand what part of the universe they come from. Then we can research about them given from text books because after all they were all written down as mythical beings, Thor being included in that, it’s just in case another attack ever happens which hopefully it won’t”

Noah nodded and then as he turned to walk out, Jemma quickly blurted out the question of “How is your search going?”

Noah turned back around “What’s that?”

Jemma then felt slight mortified that she asked such a personal question, but she couldn’t back away now “Oh n-no I was just. I didn’t mean to pry it’s just I was wondering if you had gained anything on your search for your...mother”

Noah crossed his eyes with a small smirk, finding her nervous being rather amusing and cute. Jemma was a rather awkward person socially speaking. Noah shrugged “It’s on going. Nothing solid yet but I haven’t covered all of the ground yet”

“Well I hope you find success” Jemma smiled, then hearing Leo mutter behind them “It’s all she has been talking about since the whole agency found out” he then went on and mocked a girlish voice to try and impersonate Jemma “It’s so exciting, she must be out there somewhere. Agent Carter is  _ soo  _ handsome”

“Fitz!” Jemma exclaimed in pure humiliation, she then turned her head back to Noah and shook it “I didn’t...I”

Noah let out a small laugh “Relax, Simmons” he looked down to his bleeping phone, then looked to Jemma again and whispered “At least you’ve got good taste” giving her a wink and a smile that makes any girl go weak at the knees before walking back out of the lab.

Leo looked to Jemma and scoffed “Put your tongue back in, Jemma”

As he walked down the hall, Noah picked up the phone “This is Carter”

_ “It’s Jameson. I got your request , did some digging. Fraid to say there’s no trail over here I’m sorry, Noah” _

Noah stopped and then sighed “Nothing at all?”

_ “Not at the moment. Look I’ll keep my eyes still on it. But what you need is to find out is what happened to her after she left that red room incident” _

“How am I supposed to do that?”

_ “Old Hydra databases must be on SHIELDS stuff somewhere. Some are still in prison remember” _

He had a point. Jameson was in the Academy when Noah was a trainer. One of the best in fact, he moved up to Chicago a few months back at the small SHIELD base there. Noah nodded and carried on walking “Okay, thanks Jameson. Appreciate you trying”

He hung up his phone and cursed under his breath. Slamming the side of his fist against a wall as he passed it. He knew it was a long shot, but it was just another city he had to cross off the list.

_ “Should we go on the swings?” Peggy asked as she rocked their linked hands back and forth. The four year old nodded with excitement and ran ahead over to the swings. There was no-one else around which is how they liked it. Noah liked to see it as their place when no-one was around. _

_ He jumped and landed on the swing. Peggy ran her fingers through her hair and smiled as she walked over to him. Noah waved his hand to her “Hurry up, momma” _

_ “I’m coming, I’m coming” Peggy took a few more steps and then sat on the swing beside him. Going back and forth on her toe and heel whilst Noah swung back and forth like kids normally do when on swings, he looked up to the sky “Where’s daddy?” _

_ “Daddy’s at the office. But it means we can have some time together like we always have” _

_ Noah smiled “I like it when we hang out” _

_ Peggy let out a soft giggle and ran her fingers through his hair before putting it back on the chain “So do I” _

_ “Do you think we’ll have days like this even when I’m bigger?” _

_ “Well, would you like to have days like this when you’re bigger” _

_ Without even having to think about it, Noah nodded “Yeah!” _

_ Peggy smiled and took hold of his hand again and raised her eyebrows up slightly “Then of course we will” _

_ “Promise, momma?” _

_ Peggy leaned forward in her swing and kissed his forehead, then wiping the lipstick mark away from it and nodding “Yes I promise” _

* * *

Noah got to his office station and threw his phone against the wall, before pressing his knuckles down on his desk and taking a deep breath. Slowly he sat down in his chair, leaning down on his elbows he then pressed his hands against his forehead.

Natasha looked at him from the boardroom, her arms crossed, biting down on her thumb nail. Then sighing and dropped her hand down, she turned to Maria “He’s pushing himself too hard”

Maria glanced to Noah and shrugged “It’s his choice”

Natasha ran her fingers through her hair as she walked away from the glass wall “Surely you can talk to him”

Maria then looked to her with a confused look on her face “Me? You’re kidding right? Anyone that doesn’t have the last name of Romanoff can’t get him to do anything”

“Yeah well not even Romanoff can do that these days”

“He’s still pissed?”

“The last time we spoke, he actually seemed kind of calm. Like he could forgive me but he hasn’t spoke to me since”

“When was that?”

Natasha bit her lip as she cleared her throat “Day after the whole New York thing”

Maria frowned and leaned against the table “That’s gotta be rough”

Natasha looked back to him, she saw how stressed he was. How sad and frustrated he was feeling. She just wanted to go over to him and try to make him smile. She was nearly the only one who could do it. She wanted to help him. But she couldn’t face him shutting the door in her face. Natasha nodded “It is. But it’s like you said, no one can get him to do anything. Not even forgive”

“Barton was right, this is weird” Maria shook her head as she put her papers back into a pile, Natasha looked at her. Not following, Maria looked up to her and clarified as she raised her eyebrows “You two not being strapped at the hip”

Natasha cocked her eyebrow for a brief moment as she shrugged “Weird for me too” she then cleared her throat again and stood up properly from leaning against the table “I’ve just gotta get on with it”

Maria kept her eyes down on the paper as she heard Natasha walk towards the door, it was when she heard Natasha’s hand land on the door handle when she said with her eyes still down “You don’t have to be so thick skinned you know”

“Coming from the _ ice queen _ ?”

Maria smirked as she glanced to Natasha “Fair point”

Natasha smirked and then exited the boardroom. Noah didn’t even know she was in there and she didn’t bother to bug him since he would probably just say he was busy. She just walked past him and thought he didn’t see her. But he did, he watched her walk away his shoulder and sighed as he turned back. Looking at the picture of the pair of them that he had on his desk. It wasn’t in any fancy frame, it was just a picture that had been folded up, it had crinkles on the corners but it still rested beside his computer.

It was Natasha taking a  _ selfie  _ when they went out for a walk through the hills when they when to California on a mission and had some free time on their hands. Noah was sat beside her and looked into the camera with a small amused smile on his face at his moment of realisation as to what she was doing, whilst her head was slightly tilted back with a stupid smile on her face. It was that stupid smile that was the reason he kept onto it.

* * *

Noah got home and walked into the room that he had turned into a little investigation room. He walked over to the map that scaled the side of the wall, he took hold of his red marker and crossed off chicago. He sighed, pressing his palms against the wall and sighing as he looked at the places marked off. He was beginning to run out of cities.

“Come on, momma” Noah muttered under his breath as he stood up and slowly dragged his hands off of the wall, taking a step back and scanning it, all over it.

After a while, Noah went up to the rooftop. No-one goes up here. Not really anyway. It's a quiet building. He took up a six pack of beer and sat on the edge, his legs dangling over the edge, his heel knocking back against the wall as he looked over the city and drank down his beer. He then heard the door slam, he looked over his shoulder and saw Steve walk out.

“Hey”

Noah turned his head back to the view “Hey”

Steve walked over to the edge and stood beside him, keeping his eyes on Noah he then looked down to his rubbing palms “So any word?”

“She’s not been seen in Chicago”

“Damn” Steve muttered under his breath. Noah shook his head and sighed “I wonder if it’d be beneficial taking out a missing person's report. Spread it over the country and not just talk to people I know”

“You think the police would go for that? The world think she’s dead” Steve said weakly. Noah glanced to him “Yeah well the world thought you were dead for a long time too”

“Good point” Steve said in a small laugh, he then saw the dog tags hand around Noah’s neck as he was only wearing a black vest top. Steve pointed to them “Where’d you get those?”

“Mom gave them to me” Noah said with a smile “I hurt myself when I was five and she came running over to me, she had these around her neck long before I was born and she gave them to me, said as long as I had them I’d be protected”

“Did she tell you where she got them from?”

Noah looked to him “No? Why?”

Steve ran his fingers through his hair “They’re mine”

Noah stared at him for a moment and then said in a disbelieved sigh “You’ve got to be kidding me”

Steve let out a laugh as he bowed his head and slid his hands in his pockets “I gave them to her just before we went out on our fight against Schmidt”

_ Steve was going to head out first with the Commandos. And Peggy will hang back with Phillips and the rest of the army until they are called in. Steve and Peggy rested together in a secluded corner of the base. And by corner, it was literally a corner of the base that they squeezed in. Steve pressed his lips against her hands as she said “Promise me that we’ll be okay” _

_ “I promise you. You scared?” _

_ “Of losing you? Of course I’m scared” _

_ Steve kissed her cheek and whispered “Didn’t know you cared so much” _

_ Peggy let out a breathless laugh “Are you ever going to be serious?” _

_ Steve stared at her, he brushed her hair behind her ear and spoke again in a soft whisper “You want me to be serious?” Peggy held onto his spangled uniform and nodded. Steve put his hand under the collar of his suit and pulled over his head his dog tags “Alright, I’ll be serious” _

_ “What are you doing?” Peggy whispered as her eyes darted to the chain. Steve then put them around her neck, kissing her forehead he said “I’m being serious. You hold onto them, and then when we come out of this you can give me them back. Cause it’ll mean we’ll be together” _

_ Peggy smiled and looked lovingly into his eyes. They then heard the call for them to move out. Peggy looked back to him and blurted out in a worried voice “I love you, Steve” _

_ Steve cupped her face “I love you too. And I’ll see you on the other side” he smiled to reassure her once more, giving her a soft kiss on her lips. He smiled and whispered “Go get em” _

Steve looked back to Noah after his reminiscing as he heard him say “So I guess it’s not all bullshit that she was in love with you”

“I guess not”

Noah moved the pack of beer over to him “Have one. Take a seat”

“You sure? You tend to prefer to be alone”

“That’s when I had someone to be alone with” Noah sighed as he looked down to his bottle. Steve frowned and sat beside him “You know. You don’t have to be alone. You can always give her a call”

“And say what?  _ Hey Nat I know you betrayed me and all but I need my drinking buddy _ ” he then lightly scoffed “I said it once. I’ll say it again I need time to forgive”

Steve shrugged and nodded “I get it...have you and Natasha always just been friends?”

“Why do you ask?”

“You just” Steve shrugged “The way you guys are with each other. It's... _ passionate _ ”

Noah snorted “Passionate?”

“I couldn't think of a better word”

Noah looked back to the view with an amused smile still lingering on his face, he shrugged his shoulders “Well to answer your question we’ve never been more than friends. We kissed like once as part of a mission a while back but other than that”

_ Noah looked around and saw that they were being searched for by the people were initially tracking. Noah turned around to Natasha “Okay. I have a plan to get past these guys” _

_ Natasha raised her eyebrows and shrugged “Open for suggestions” _

_ Noah slowly nodded “Okay. Don’t freak out” _

_ Natasha looked at him confused, Noah then launched himself forward and clashed his lips against hers, with her eyes open she stared at him, but then she just rolled with it and played along, she even had it to be more convincing by cupping his face and pressing his lips even more firmly against hers as his hands gripped harder to her waist.   _

_ A few slowly seconds later. They both pulled away. Noah looked to the side and saw that it had worked, he looked back saw that Natasha was lookin at him, slightly dazed and confused. He let out a small laugh “Public displays of affection make people very uncomfortable” _

_ Natasha let out a breathless laugh and nodded “I’ll have to remember that” _

_ They began to walk away side by side, Noah looked to her and muttered “You liked it” _

_ “I did not” _

_ “You grabbed my face and sunk into it” Noah argued back. Natasha rolled her eyes and slapped his chest “I was acting” _

_ “Acting right. Almost too convincing” _

_ “Shut up” _

Noah cleared his throat and shook his head “Other than that we’ve just been friends”

Steve nodded. Scratching the back of his neck as he looked out to the city. It was silent between them for a moment, up until Noah asked “How she doin?”

Steve looked to him and shrugged “She’s alright. Sad but”

Noah expected that. Natasha was always the type of girl to act as if nothing in the world could come close to hurting her. Nothing could come close to touching her heart but it did. Including something like this. He shook his head and cleared his throat, looking down to the bottle he then said “I gotta just keep focused on finding mom”

“You don’t think she could help? She was the last one out of the three of us to see her”

He shook his head “Naw, the last time she saw her was when she was taken away from the Red Room, she knows just as much as we do”

“Hey”

The two men turned and saw Sharon come out to the rooftop with a small smile on her face. Noah smirked and muttered “Uh-oh here she is”

“Hardy de har” Sharon mocked, lightly punching his back and ruffling his hair as she grabbed a bottle of beer from the pack “So Evelyn just called” she looked up from taking off the cap of the bottle to see Steve and Noah both looking at her with an expression filled with anticipation as they had their bottles in their mouths. It was in that moment where Sharon realised how alike the two of them actually looked, she raised her eyebrows and said as she sat down beside Noah “Don’t worry I didn’t say anything”

They then let out a sigh of relief, Sharon let out a laugh “She just wanted to make sure you were doing okay. She tried to call your apartment but when she said you didn’t answer I figured you were up here”

“Yeah that’s my fault, I said I’d talk to her properly since New York but I just kept putting it off because of everything that I’ve got to deal with”

Steve noticed the worried look on Sharon’s face as she looked at her cousin, she sighed and tilted her head “You’ve got to take a break from time to time. Don’t over do it okay? You have a habit in working yourself too hard”

Noah rolled his eyes and nodded “Alright”

“Don’t go all brooding on me, you know as well as I that you go _ Edward Cullen _ moody when you don’t get enough sleep”

Steve looked at her oddly “Who is Edward Cullen?”

“Trust me, you don’t want to know” Noah groaned and he slowly turned and faced the roof before standing up “Okay. Well it’s late so I’ll do as I am told and go to bed” Noah said as he looked down to her, she slapped her hand in his and swayed it side to side “Just looking out for you”

“I know, I know” Noah muttered, he tapped Steve’s back “Night Steve”

“Goodnight”

Sharon watched him leave, as soon as he did, she looked to Steve and quickly blurted out “Watch him”

Steve raised an eyebrow to her “What?”

“I am aware that we haven’t spoken that much during your return but you are technically and practically family now so I just need to warn you abou _ t that one.  _ You need to make sure he doesn’t over do it. Because he doesn’t know when to stop. He gets so wrapped up in it that you can barely even talk to him because he gets so lost. Like once, three years back Natasha got kidnapped. And he was so driven into finding her that I found him passed out on his floor because he hadn’t ate all day because his brain didn’t let him think of anyone or anything else but her. I don’t want history to repeat itself”

“I didn’t know about that”

“Hardly surprising he doesn’t admit to any of that. Natasha doesn’t even know that happened. And don’t tell him I told you because I don’t want the earache” Sharon waved her hand and looked to the city, letting out a sigh she then asked “Do you think she’s out there? Peggy”

Steve took a long breath and shrugged “I don’t know, it’s a long shot. But I hope she is”

“For his sake or yours”

“Both” Steve admitted as he took a sip of his drink, then looking at her “And for his sister’s, yours too. Natasha”

“Natasha?” Sharon raised an eyebrow.

“I know she feels guilty about what happened in the Red Room. She blames herself for Peggy getting taken away because Peggy wanted to take care of her. So if Peggy is out there, and I pray to god that she is. I hope we can bring her home so that...everyone can just finally breathe”

“That’s a nice way of looking at it. I hope you’re right”

Sharon breathed in the fresh air, closing her eyes and taking in the wind for a moment. She stretched and then admitted “I’m glad he has you though, he doesn’t admit it but he’s glad too. He’s missed having a dad” she raised her eyebrows to him and then turned around to stand up herself, nudging his shoulder she said “Welcome to the family”

Steve let out a small chuckle and nodded “Thank you, you’re the first one to actually say that to me”

“I figured as much” Sharon nodded as she stood up “Word of warning, don’t stay at that spot when it gets to daylight, people walk past and freak out when they see someone hanging off the edge of the building”

Steve let out another laugh “Noted. Thanks”

Steve was left alone on the rooftop. Thinking the exact same thing Noah was thinking when he came out here.

Where was she? 


	8. Chapter 8

_ She watched the tears drop on her pillow, trying to catch her breath after everyone she took. She tried to keep her crying to a quiet tone in case anyone heard her. The door then creaked open. _

_ “Natalia?” Peggy whispered as she walked in the room. She pulled over a chair and sat in front of her, staring at the little redhead “Natalia. What is it?” _

_ Natasha sniffled and sat herself up, wiping her tears with her forearm, she looked to Peggy “What’s going to happen to me?” _

_ Peggy frowned and sat back in her chair. Not knowing how to answer, because the honest truth is not good. Natasha stared at her “You’re not like the others” _

_ Peggy looked at her “Well, neither are you. Neither of us belong here” _

_ “Why are you here?” _

_ Peggy licked her lip slowly as looked to the door. She then looked back to Natasha and softly smiled “You know, I have a son, last time I saw him he was your age. I think you and him would have gotten on pretty well...I have a whole family back in America. A husband, my son and daughter...who will all be grown up now. My daughter will most likely not even really remember me...and my husband will be coming into his pension years…” _

_ Natasha looked at her oddly “Did they give you what they’ve given me?” _

_ Peggy slowly nodded “Can you keep a secret?” _

_ Natasha’s reply was a nod with a slightly nervous look on her face. Peggy leaned forward, rubbing her palms together, she looked honestly into Natasha’s eyes and whispered “I am as much of a prisoner here than you are” _

_ Natasha stared at Peggy, her eyebrows raised, genuinely surprised to hear those words coming out of her mouth. She felt as if she didn’t have anyone to depend on or trust in here. But in this moment it changed, Peggy saying something so honest was a reason for Natasha to confirm her instincts in trusting her. _

_ Natasha then said “Can you keep a secret?” _

_ Peggy put her hand on Natasha’s leg for a moment as she nodded. Natasha took a deep breath as her eyes filled up “I’m scared” _

_ “I know you are...all I can do is pray that you will find away to get out of all of this before it’s too late. All I can do is pray that you will get to live your life, with someone who cares and loves you. Because Natalia, you are special and you weren’t born for this. You were born to do good for this world” _

Natasha opened her eyes, her breath hitching as she was awaken from her memory with her alarm ringing in her ear. She reached out and turned it off before lifting herself up on the bed, sitting up she rubbed her face with the palm of her hands.

The next day after Peggy told those things to Natasha she was taken away. One of the girls from the Academy was listening on the other side and reported Peggy. Natasha remembered that girl well. She killed that girl.

But she had never forgotten Peggy talking about her family. About Noah. If she knew then what she knew now then she would have given Peggy a real reason to fight. Her son was no ordinary man. He was a man with such strength that he could have protected his sister and father no matter who Hydra sent. Although, Natasha was also aware the state Noah was before getting his ass in check at SHIELD. 

She thought she had someone who loved and cared for her, finally. But she may have just blown that for good.

_ ‘Natalia, you are special and weren’t born for this. You were both to do good in this world’ _

Natasha often wished she would have been stronger after Peggy was taken away, she wished that she kept onto those words and not become the person that they wanted  _ her  _ to be. She has eventually come into this business and done good for this world, but she was still making mistakes and hurting people, but they weren’t just  _ people  _ anymore. They were people she loved.

She debated on calling Noah over and over again in her head. But never actually did it. She did what he was asking and giving him space, she was listening to him for once instead of arguing against him.

Her phone went off, it was Clint. Natasha answered “Hi stranger. How’s the apprentice?”

_ “Kate’s good thanks. How’s things down there? You good?” _

“I’m alright” Natasha said in an unconvincing tone.

_ “Right. Okay listen. I tried calling him but he wasn’t picking up. Next time you see Noah, tell him that there was no news in Detroit” _

Natasha rubbed her forehead along with rubbing her lips together and sighed as she nodded “Right okay”

_ “Has he got nothing?” _

“Nope, well not that I know off” Natasha muttered as she tucked her hands behind her ear, hearing Clint sigh over the phone  _ “You two still aren’t talking?” _

“I don’t have time for this, Clint, I’ll let him know. I gotta go, bye” Natasha didn’t let him try to get a word in and just hung up the phone. Pressing the phone against her forehead for a moment. She tapped it against her forehead before throwing it on the bed as she went in the bathroom and got ready.

* * *

On her route to work, is when she stopped by Noah’s place. She didn’t get very far since he stepped out of the building as soon as she parked up. Noah looked over to the bottom of the drive and saw her car. He cleared his throat and took a deep breath as he walked over to his car, seeing her get out of hers and walk over to him.

“Noah” she called. He didn’t even look at her properly. Till she sighed and rolled her eyes as she stopped in front of him “Clint asked me to talk to you”

Noah then looked up to Natasha as he pressed the unlock button for his car, Natasha shook her head “No luck in Detroit”

Noah sighed and scoffed under his breath, opening the car door, Natasha took a step to the side, nearing the car more to grab his attention “You’re looking for a small fish in a  _ very  _ big pond”

Noah then looked into her eyes, raising his brows to her “You done?”

“No. I’m not. Take this piece of advice from me here Noah and don’t dig into the cities, dig into those who took her. Use our databases”

Noah shrugged “Alright”

Natasha looked away and muttered under her breath “God…” she then looked to him and asked in a more harsh tone “So what’s going on? Last time we spoke, you were much more heartfelt than this”

“Yeah well the more I thought about it the more pissed off I got” Noah answered boldly, with a blunt look on his face along with a small shrug. Natasha nodded and then tilted her head ever so slightly to him “You do what you gotta do”

Noah stared at her and just nodded, he didn’t give her a verbal reply, he just got into the car. He watched her walk away to her own. Then reversed out of the garage and went on his way.

Noah walked into the building, he didn’t look to anyone or talk to anyone. He just went to one of the main control rooms. 

He opened the door and said to the five men working in there “Hill’s looking for the paperwork you guys owe her”

They all looked to each other with the same terrified looks on their face. Noah then added on “Yeah she does not look happy”

The five men suddenly shot up and ran out of the office to grab the paperwork. Wow. It actually worked, Noah didn’t even know there was any paperwork to be handed into Maria he just took a shot. Noah shut the door behind him and locked it. He made his way over to the computers and began to do digging.

Noah knew how to hack, he learned that over the years during his first few years. It took him merely a few minutes to get into all the past Hydra members that they had on their database. Noah began to look through the list.

There were a total of five that they currently had knowledge of still being alive. Daniel Whitehall. Octavian Bloom. Wolfgang Von Strucker. Kaminsky and Julien Beckers.

The rest were dead or still waiting to be known. 

Both Strucker and Kaminsky can be crossed off the list for now. They seemed too young to have been involved in this. But the others. The others were worth a shot.

It was just finding them now. Whitehall struck him. He had heard of this name before. Noah took out his phone and wrote down the names and left the room without being detected by anyone.

Noah returned back to his desk and searched Daniel Whitehall into the SHIELD database finder, which was basically like their own google that helped them find information that was classified to the outside world. Whitehall was brought into the S.S.R’s custody by, now this brought a proud smile to his face, his mother. He was kept in imprisonment until he was broken out in 1989 and hasn’t been tracked since. He remembered hearing about that breakout, but he was never assigned to find him so it was never his business.

Noah noticed something that he considered sloppy work on part of SHIELD. Whitehall’s old facility in Austria was never raided or checked out. How did he never know about this? Then again, there was a few things SHIELD had kept from him.

* * *

Noah made his way up to Nick’s office. Knocking on the door and then entering, he didn’t beat around the bush, he just got right to the point “Sir, I need to ask for a few days off”

Nick raised an eyebrow “Oh, and for how long?”

“Just two days. I never ask for days off. Plus most of the Avengers are doing bugger all since New York and I am kinda part of that so...”

“ _ Bugger all _ ”

Noah rolled his eyes and nodded, pointing his finger to his brain and motioning a circle as he said “It’s the upbringing”

Nick nodded and then shrugged “Well I can’t deny your request since you’ve not had a day off since 2003”

Noah let out a brief small laugh “Thank you, Sir”

That was basically all he had to say. Leaving the office, he bumped into Maria, she lightly pushed his body away from hers and then pinched her eyebrows together and pointed to him “Hey did you tell Jones and his team that I needed paperwork from them?”

Noah raised an eyebrow “Well...did you?”

“Yes?”

“Then you’re welcome. See you in two days” Noah shrugged with a tight smile as he then past her, Maria turned to face him “Where’re you heading?

Noah stepped in the elevator and then said as he pushed the button “Austria. Someone I gotta talk to”

Noah didn’t tell anyone else where he was going. Not Steve, not Sharon, Nat and certainly not Evelyn. He didn’t even see anyone on his way back home. Steve was probably at the gym or running or something. Besides he would either insist on going with him, or insisted that Noah didn’t ago at all. Once again it was a  _ long shot _ .

Noah packed up a backpack that had his passport, money, a change of clothes and his toothbrush in it along with a phone charger of course. He called a cab, got to the airport and booked the earliest flight to Austria.

* * *

9 hours later he arrived in Austria, checked into an affordable hotel and settled. It was midnight where he was now, too late to go snooping around an old Hydra base where no-one would be this late. If anyone is there at all in the first place. Plus he was jet lagged as hell and could really do with the sleep. As he got changed into his slacks, he looked down at his phone vibrating on the desk, he picked it up to see he had a missed call from Steve and also a text.

_ ‘Hey. Where are you? Sharon said she tried knocking onto your place a while ago and you’re still not back, you alright?” _

Noah rubbed the back of his head and simply text back _ “Gone out of town. Be back on Wednesday” _

He put the phone on charge and left it on his bed side table and got into the bed. He had a long day ahead of him.

Noah woke up at 8 O'clock sharp. The location of the old HYDRA facility that Whitehall used was an hour away. He got dressed, went round the corner to a little bakery that he had spotted before and grabbed himself some breakfast. He rented a car and was on his way. Noah flicked through his phone as he drove down the empty road.

_ ‘Out of town? Well that was sudden. Alright. I guess I’ll see you then’ _

He was half expecting Steve to go all concerned father on him and ask him where he was going, it wouldn’t be the first time either. So Noah actually appreciated Steve keeping his cool and concern under wraps. Driving alone in the car let him actually look at his surroundings, and this place really was quite beautiful. Hell, he’d even come here for a vacation when he actually chooses to have one.

Noah reached the old facility base. It was big. Old. And totally out of the way from anywhere else. 

He looked up at it. He had no idea how many men were in there if there were any at all. He had no gun, he couldn’t exactly swipe one in his bag could he? Luckily he was heavily skilled in the fighting apartment. 

Noah ran his fingers through his hand through his hair as he took a deep breath and thought to himself  _ ‘You must be damn crazy’ _

Noah walked over to the door, he didn’t knock. He kicked the goddamn thing open to silence. Slowly, he stepped inside the building. The place looked like a hospital. A shady hospital at that but still, a hospital none the less. This place was used for some kind of experiments. He then noticed something. There was equipment that still looked like it was being used and in tact. It seemed more advanced too. Not as advanced by SHIELD’s standard but still.

He walked over to one of their computers, he pressed down on the space bar and saw the screen come up. But it was locked. Figures. He looked behind him to the metal bed, he walked over to it and placed his finger tips softly down on it, seeing the dry blood marks. These were old, but only by maybe a few months.

“Hey!”

Noah’s head shot up to see a guy, with the hydra badge on his shoulder as a patch. Noah jumped over the metal bed as he heard the guy add on “Tell me what you’re doing here or I’ll blast your head off-”

Noah didn’t give him a chance, he grabbed him by the collar and slammed him against the wall, kicking the gun out of his hand and seeing it skim down the hallway. Noah dragged the guy over to the metal bed and fought him off as he held him and strapped down. Noah put his hand to the guy's neck and pressed down against it for a moment.

“Is there anyone else in here?”

He remained silent. Noah hitched his breath with a smirk and shook his head “I guess I’ll find out…” Noah took hold of a metal pipe that was on the floor, he looked to him and bashed the metal pipe against his stomach. Making him yell a painful groan. Noah looked up to the ceiling, to listen out. He waited a good few long seconds and there was no-one to be heard. Noah raised an eyebrow as he looked back down to the man he was holding captive and asked in a belittling way “Why the hell did they just leave you here?”

He still remained silent. Noah leaned down and muttered “Is Whitehall still alive? There’s been rumours that he found a way to reduce his aging. Is he alive?”

Again he got nothing, so Noah took the pipe and this time brought it down on his leg, so hard that it would most likely now be broken. He let out another painful cry. Noah pressed the pipe against his neck “Is he alive?”

Finally, he got an answer by getting a nod out of the hydra agent. Noah tilted his head to him and shrugged “See? Not so hard. Look I don’t wanna be this kind of guy, the kind that has to break bones to get answers. But if you don’t help me, you’re not giving me much of a choice. Where the hell is he?”

“Go to hell”

“I’m sure I’ll see you there” Noah pressed the pipe down even further onto his neck “Saying self righteous crap like that to me won’t make you die any less. I want Whitehall’s location. He may have information that I need. It’s his life or yours. I’ve been in this game a lot longer than you, kid. I know that you don’t care who you follow. You don’t care bout his goddamn life so just give me the location”

The hydra agent began to gasp for air, he then nodded. Noah pulled the pipe away and let him catch his breath as he leaned over the bed, still strapped down he then lay back down on his back and took his eyes to Noah “He had business he wanted to deal with”

“Where?”

“Germany”

“Where in Germany?”

“I want a deal”

Noah raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms “What deal?”

“I tell you what I know, and you leave me be”

What this man was asking for was his freedom. No being taken into custody. Nobody knew that Noah was even here, SHIELD clearly had no interest in searching here. And as far as Hydra agents go, this guy was pretty weak and was no large threat, there were bigger fish to fry than him. So for once in his life, Noah accepted a deal with Hydra “Fine. You can do whatever you want, you can stay with this scum of an organization or you can run from it. I won’t take you anywhere with me. Besides I don’t have my papers with me to do so anyway, and you’re not exactly worth the long process of that. So fine. Now give me the location”

The hydra agent gave him a nod “Whitehall left here with a few of us to go to Dusseldorf. There’s a deal he is making to bring things back here for more experiments”

“Like what?”

“Like people”

“Where?”

“Global Track Warehouse. They’re supposed to be making the deal tonight”

Noah sighed and nodded, standing back up straight he looked sternly into the agent’s eyes “If I find out you’re lying. I’ll come back here and I will kill you” he dropped the pipe down on the floor “Thank you, for your co-operation”

Noah then began to walk away, only to hear the agent yell “Hey! You cannot leave me here. We had a deal!”

Noah turned around and shrugged “We had a deal that I wouldn’t arrest you. And I haven’t, you can run if you want. All you gotta do is figure out how to get out” he flashed a smile and nodded again “Good luck”

Noah turned and continued to walk down the hall, the building was no longer filled with silence. It was filled the yells of the man strapped to a metal bed.

* * *

Noah didn’t waste time, he checked out of his hotel and returned to the airport to buy a cheap booking for Dusseldorf. Within three hours he had made it. 

Global Track Warehouse. The deal was tonight, which in business deals means when it falls dark. There’s never a specific time usually. So he just had to wait until the sun goes down. Luckily, Dusseldorf was just as much of a great place to be at tourist at than Austria was.

He ate some food, flirted with some german girls, clearly speaking fluent in six language including German paid off well and by the time he knew it. The sun was down and it was time. Noah made his way to the warehouse, when he did. He stopped and hid behind a wall across the way, looking over and seeing Whitehall. So the rumors were true, he did de-age himself The man looked like he was back in his 40s. With him he had three men. To get to Whitehall, he had to take care of them.

Again. No weapons.  _ Shit _ . He was going to handle them plus the men that Whitehall was meeting with. 

Noah pulled his hood down from his head as he walked over to the warehouse. They had busted the door open, which just would have been too easy for him, they would see him come through the door depending on where they were stationed within the warehouse. Noah cut round the corner and saw that there was a window a few feet above his head. Beside it was a storage box. If he got himself up on there, he could get through the window.

He gripped onto the top of the storage box and pulled himself up. Getting to the window he was able to look through it. There were a total of five men aside from Whitehall. They were at quite a distance so they didn’t hear him open the window. Noah slowly and carefully pulled himself through. Landing his feet silently down on a floor higher than them, he leaned forward against the railing and watched them. 

He heard Whitehall say “You have them?”

Noah then saw the man whom he was making a deal with nod as confirmation and said “In the truck. Outside”

Noah looked around and saw a long thick chain that traveled from the floor he was on down to the bottom floor that they were on. It was over the head of the two men who Whitehall was making a deal with. Both had guns, if he could knock them out at the same time, grab a gun. Then maybe he won’t get killed. Besides, it takes a few bullets to kill him anyway.

There wasn’t going to be a better chance than now, so after a deep breath. Noah leaped forward and took hold of the chin, sliding down it so fast, they only notice him as soon as they saw his boot hit their faces. Knocking them both out, Noah quickly grabbed the gun and pointed it at Whitehall’s head as his three men pointed their at his “You shoot at me. Your boss will be dead long before I get put in the ground”

Whitehall held up his hand to his men and smiled “You know how to make an entrance”

“And you’re a helluva man to track down” Noah muttered. Whitehall turned his head to his men and spoke to them in german, thinking that Noah didn’t understand. Noah shook his head “They’re not going anywhere”

Whitehall shot him an impressed look “Ah. You know German”

“I know a lot of things”

“Who exactly do you want to talk to, hm? My men or me?”

Noah rubbed his lips together and hitched his breath with a smirk “You’re one brave son of a bitch. You know that? You’re gonna send your men away, leaving you alone with me?”

Whitehall shrugged “Of course”

Noah lowered his gun and tilted his head, he shrugged “Go ahead then”

Whitehall turned back to his men and gave them the same order. They were going to go to the truck and drive it all the way back to Austria, a truck filled with what he has been led to believe are people. But Noah wasn’t stupid, he wasn’t just going to let them go. As soon as his men were out the door. Noah walked over to him. Grabbing hold of him, Whitehall noticed straight away that he was unnaturally strong. He grabbed hold of Whitehall and took him over to a metal beam. Putting his hands behind his back and tying him up. Noah took his phone out of his pocket and called a number “This is Agent Carter”

Noah saw how Whitehall’s face suddenly dropped, he couldn’t help but let out a smug smile and then added “I have to inform that David Whitehall has been conducting experiments in his old hydra facility base in Austria. He is taking people to experiment on as we speak, you need to send out a task force team immediately...yes I am sure...because I’ve been there..also send someone to the Global Track warehouse in Dusseldorf...to come up a package”

Noah hung up the phone and turned his head when he heard Whitehall say in a gasp “You’re an Agent of shield”

Noah shrugged and nodded as he put his phone back in his pocket “Guilty”

“I spoke with an Agent Carter  _ many  _ years back”

Noah crouched down in front of him and nodded “Yeah. My mother. Peggy Carter. She’s the reason I want to talk with you”

Whitehall raised his eyebrows “Oh? And why is that?”

“She went missing in 1956. She was taken by your kind and traded for the Red Room in Russia”

“Ah yes. I heard about this whilst I had my time in prison”

Noah faked a smile and then added on “A few years after you got broken out of prison. She was taken back by Hydra as a prisoner. Nobody knows what is happened to her. I can tell when someone is lying so you better cut the bullshit and just tell me the truth. It’ll save you a few injuries”

Whitehall shrugged and shook his head “I am sorry. Agent Carter. I only ever spoken with your mother on two occasions. The last time I saw your mother she told me to rot”

“I know about you. Whitehall.  _ Reinhardt _ . Rot was an light hearted request. I’d rather you burn, the pain you’ve inflicted since 1945 has been so much worse-”

“And what I have been doing has nothing to do with your mother. I have been conducting my own experiments. Away from the hydra main base. Away from its main leaders, those days are over for me”

Noah stared at him, right in the eyes and noticed how still and calm he was, Whitehall shrugged and added “You can beat me as much as you care for. But the answer will still be the same because it is true. I never saw your mother after 1945”

Noah kept his eyes locked onto him, then hearing his mother’s voice aka his conscious say in his head  _ “He’s telling the truth” _

Noah stood up slowly and nodded “Fine. In a few hours you’ll be back where you belong. Behind bars”

A quinjet gets you to your destination at half the time it usually takes. So It will be merely four hours before anyone gets to Whitehall to arrest him. Noah walked over to him and kicked him across his face, along with punching him straight after, knocking him out.


	9. Chapter 9

Noah returned back to the states with the SHIELD crew that came to pick up Whitehall. During the four hours, with Whitehall still tied up and knocked out in the warehouse. Noah went to his hotel which was only a fifteen minute walk and he had time. He packed up his stuff, checked out and returned back. He must’ve really knocked him out because it had been a good hour and a half since he did knock him out and still there was nothing. Not that he was complaining. 

When Noah got back, it was mid afternoon and as soon as he did come back he was called to Nick’s office. Probably in for an ass kicking.

“So when you said that you wanted time off, I didn’t know that meant you going into a damn old hydra facility and start cracking skulls!”

Noah scoffed a laugh as he sunk into the chair in Nick’s office “I cracked a leg that’s all”

“Noah. Days off means you want to take a day to relax or something. When you used the Avengers doing that I thought you wanted to take a breather. Not cause chaos-”

“Chaos? Whitehall has been taken into custody. I stopped people from getting experimented on. How is that chaos?”

Nick leaned down on his desk “You did not have the authorization to do it”

“It’s not my fault you were sloppy and didn’t look for this in the first place”

Nick looked at him, offended as he snapped “Excuse me?”

Noah stood up and pressed his finger down on the desk as he said “I turned down the job as being Director because I figured I was better as a field agent. But when I turned it down I at least thought the person who would take my place would have been smart enough to check every nook and cranny for any remaining hydra members. You and I both know that they are still around in places. Like the KKK is. They can’t just be squashed. Hell even Nazi’s are still around...burying it under the carpet won’t make it untrue”

“Are we still talking about Hydra here?”

Noah kept his face stern and shook his head before looking to the door as he went to walk to it “We’re done here”

“You still need to be addressed on what happened-”

“Write me a goddamn complaint then” Noah called as he walked out of his office,  _ slamming  _ the door behind him and took a deep breath. He found it hard from time to time to control his anger.

_ Peggy walked through the door as Angie just pulled pulled of the driveway after taking care of Noah and found Noah sat on the living room couch. Everyone was asleep in her room. The six year old took his eyes to her and put on an innocent smile “Hi momma” _

_ Peggy raised her eyebrows and shook her head as she put her bag on the side “Oh don’t hi momma me. Auntie Angie told me what the teacher told her when she picked you up today” _

_ Noah looked away from her and said nothing. Peggy let out a light sigh, she wasn’t mad at him. She just wanted to know what happened. Peggy took off her coat and hung it up on the rack, then walking back over to him, she sat beside him, rested her arm against the back of the couch as she laid her head on the hand, locking her fingers in her hair and keeping her eyes on him “Fighting? That’s not like you” _

_ “He deserved it…” Noah mumbled, keeping his eyes on his hands. _

_ “Why what happened, hey, Noah eyes on me please” _

_ Noah looked to her and sighed “Ronnie made fun of dad’s limp after he saw him drop me off this morning. Then he called you stupid” _

_ Peggy muttered a light laugh to herself “I’ve been called worse” _

_ “What?” _

_ “Nothing. Look, love, Ronnie is just a little lad who says little lad things. You are ahead of your years up in here” Peggy said, pointing to his forehead which made him let out an amused smile “You just have try and ignore those little things, because it’s just what kids say. Especially boys, apart from you and daddy boys are kind of dumb” _

_ Well, she could think of one more man. _

_ “You know, I was friends with a man who, a lot like you, had people who had nothing better to do than pick on him. And do you know what he did?” _

_ Noah shrugged “Punched them” _

_ Peggy let out a breathless laugh and shook her head “No, baby, he kept his head held high and ignored them. It gets to the bully more when you don’t react to it” _

_ Noah crossed his arms and nodded “Your friend sounds smart” _

_ Peggy smiled and nodded “Yeah he was” _

_ “Who was he?” _

_ Peggy took in a deep breath and ran her fingers through his hair “I’ll tell you about him more when you’re older. When you’ll understand more” _

_ Noah didn’t argue with her, Peggy softly smiled, she leaned forward and kissed his forehead “Now you aren’t in trouble because this is the first time this has happened and you were doing it to protect daddy and me. Just don’t let it happen again, understand?” _

_ Noah nodded again “Yes momma” _

_ “Good man” Peggy whispered with another soft smile. Kissing his forehead again and pulled him in for a hug “You’re a good son, did I ever tell you that” _

_ “Yes momma, everyday” Noah laughed. _

_ Peggy laughed and stroked his hair “Oh yeah” _

* * *

Noah took himself away from the work place and went to take out his frustration and anger out on a punchbag at the boxing gym. When he got there, so was Steve. Should of guessed, he practically lives in here majority of the time. Getting himself all pumped up for whenever he is called up for a mission, which could be a while but still he always liked to be prepared. 

He looked up from lifting his weight and sat up “He returns”

Noah rolled his eyes and nodded “Yep”

“Where’d you go then?”

“Austria” Noah said boldly as he began to wrap up his hands with the bandages. Sitting across the way from Steve and just knowing that Steve was looking at him oddly as to why Austria. So he answered before he was asked “I thought I had a lead, hunting down an old hydra leader that had something to do with my mom’s disappearance”

“And?” Steve said with hope. Noah took a deep breath and stood up as he said bitterly “Nothing”

Noah walked over to a punchbag and instantly began to take out his anger on it. Steve stared at him, watched how defeated he looked and could tell how angry he was feeling. Steve had barely even slept these past few days he had been thinking about her that much. Picturing what their life could have been like, how could he not? Especially with them having a son. He wanted to protect and take care of Noah, if only Noah would let him in just a little bit more.

Steve stood up and walked over to him “They’ll be others”

Noah carried on punching the bag over and over again, up until Steve stood behind the bag and held it to stop him for a moment “Noah, you can talk to me y’know?”

Noah ran his palm down his mouth and shook his head “Just stay out of it. It’s my business”

“It’s my business too” he said softly, raising his eyebrows to him slightly “Remember that we’re tryna find her together”

Noah took a breath and slowly nodded, he actually felt bad about that once Steve had mentioned it “I should’ve told you, you’re right I’m sorry I should’ve told you. But it was a waste of time anyway”

Steve shrugged and nodded “Alright. Just next time maybe we can face those bastards together, yeah?”

“Yeah”

Steve then smirked “Glad to see that you clearly handled yourself”

“Growing up in the household I grew up in, it was kind of hard not to learn y’know. My sister, Evelyn didn’t stray too far from the path, she was a Sergeant in the Military for fifteen years”

Steve noticed how Noah’s eyes lit up with pride when he talked about the bravery his sister went through for this country. It was enough to make him smile “I hope to meet her one day, she sounds like a true hero”

Noah shrugged “Out of the two of us, she was always the brave one. Maybe it’s because she doesn’t remember mom, not really anyway she just remembers fragments, she was barely five when it happened. She doesn’t even remember that night. She doesn’t remember that trauma which I am thankful for, so was dad because it just showed how much it fucked me up”

“What...what happened to you?”

Noah looked to Steve and shrugged, pulling a face as if to say that it wasn’t a big deal “I just” he scratched the back of his head and shrugged as he dropped his hand “Got into trouble a lot. Did stupid things like drugs and used the strength I had to get into fights. I guess the pain I was feeling inside made me think that any physical pain I got wouldn’t hurt at all”

It pained Steve to hear him talk like that, and Noah could see the sympathy written across his face. He shook his head “It’s no big deal. It’s in the past. It was  _ literally  _ a lifetime ago”  

Steve let out a breathless laugh and an amused smile as he nodded “Right yeah. I gotta go actually. I’ve got a briefing with Natasha”

Noah raised his eyebrows briefly and nodded as he began to punch the bag in a more calm and lighter manner as Steve let go of it and stepped to the side. Seeing how the mention of Natasha’s voice altered Noah’s body and facial expression. He stared at him and asked “Want me to give her a message or anything?”

Noah glanced to Steve and shook his head “Naw I’m good, I saw her this morning briefly. That was enough”

Once again, Steve didn’t push. Not when it came to her. Along with Peggy, he was also sensitive about Natasha. And also, whether he admits it or not, still extremely protective. Steve slapped Noah on the back “I’ll see you later on”

Steve looked over his shoulder to Noah once again as he put his bag on his shoulder and then left.

* * *

In the board room, waiting for Nick to come in and talk to them about whatever the hell it is he had to call them in for so suddenly. Steve looked to her and said “So, Noah told me you two talked this morning”

“Depends on what you mean by talked. Does two brief verbal exchanges class as talking anymore?”  

“What happened?”

“Nothing. I try to talk properly but he just walks away. I've seen him do it to people but it's kind of a punch to the teeth when it's to me”

Steve sighed and shook his head and he leaned back in his chair “He’s just stubborn. I just think this whole thing hurt so much because it was  _ you _ ”

Natasha took her eyes back to him and mumbled “What’s the emphasis on the ‘you’ about? What’re you trying to suggest?”

Steve shrugged with a smirk “You know”

“Rogers just spit it out” Natasha said. But he still remained silent, she looked to the door to check that no-one was coming through and then leaned over the table, whispering as she punched his arm “Tell me!”

Steve rubbed his arm and looked to her, then shrugging and stating simply “He’s in love with you”

Natasha stared at him gobsmacked for a moment, she then rolled her eyes and sat back in her chair “Oh please”

“You asked”

“Well now I wish I didn’t” Natasha said sharply, then looked to him and said in a more calm yet still kind of defensive voice “All due respect Steve, but you don’t know mine and Noah’s relationship”

Steve shrugged with a small smile and teased her back “I’m also not blind”

“A little senile maybe” Natasha quickly muttered before looking to the door as it opened with Sharon walking in, Nick being behind her. Steve raised an eyebrow “Okay? What’s going on?”

Sharon shrugged as Nick said “What’s going on is that I’ve called in you three because we need to discuss the actions that Noah has been taking lately”

Natasha leaned back in her chair and lightly scoffed as she looked up to the ceiling, shaking her head “Well I can be counted out of this because I have no clue what he’s been doing”

Sharon shrugged and said to Nick “Don’t interventions include the person this is about”

Nick took a seat at the top of the table and looked to them “This is not an intervention. This is me trying to have a conversation with the three main people in his life. Because it is you three who can get through to him”

Steve looked between Sharon and Natasha and said “I can barely get him to talk about his day, forget about his _ life choices _ ”

Sharon muttered a small laugh and raised her eyebrows to Nick “He has a point. Only person he talks to about that kind of thing, he isn’t even talking to right now”

Nick glanced to Natasha who just gave a small wave. Nick sighed and shook his head “There must be someone else who can get through to him”

Natasha nodded and finally spoke up “Well there is. His sister, but if you tell her what he is doing she’ll go nuts. You’ll just make him more pissed off by getting her involved”

Nick laid his hands down on the table as he leaned forward in his chair “I cannot have one of my agents going off on their own and try to take down hydra facilities. For his own sake and this organisation”

Steve cleared his throat and held his hand up “Alright, alright. Nick, just be honest with us all here. This whole thing with Peggy, how much do you know?”

“As much as Romanoff has told me”

“Which is everything” Natasha added on glancing to Steve “You think I’d lie to him more than I already have?”

Steve shook his head and looked down to the table “No, no I just” he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose “I don’t know how to tell him this but I just think he’s...I think  _ we’re  _ just  chasing something that isn’t there. Hydra doesn’t hold people captive after they’ve done wrong...I don’t want to come to terms with it. I don’t and it’s hard for me to come to terms with it” Steve sighed and looked back up “But the thing is I think he knows that there’s no point in doing this but he doesn’t want to admit it. He got what he thought was hope and he’s making it into something that isn’t not, I’m worried about him”

“We all are” Sharon added with a nod, she looked over to Natasha and saw how hurt she was feeling “Nat you need to quit beating yourself up”

Natasha groaned a sigh and rubbed her forehead as she sat back in the chair and then nodded “It’s not me beating myself up anymore. It’s the frustration of him not letting me help him”

“There’s nothing to help him with” Steve shook his head in a dry voice, feeling a lump in his throat, his voice then wobbling slightly as he said “She’s gone”

The room fell silent for a moment, Steve then looked up to Nick as he said “Well as hard as it may be, someone needs to get that through to Noah, what’s happening with him isn’t going to be healthy in the long run”

“Nick’s right” Natasha muttered, then clearing her throat and speaking more clearly “He’s already grieved her once before, he will end up just grieving her again. It’s better to do it now than in a few weeks. Like ripping of a bandaid. Usually I don’t care that much about people’s hearts a great deal. But he’s my exception. I can’t get through to him anymore” she looked to Steve “It’d have to be you”

Steve looked to Sharon to check that she wasn’t talking to her, he then looked back to Natasha and raised his eyebrows “Me?”

“Believe or not he does accept you as his father no matter what he says. I’ve seen it” her eyes shifted to Sharon “Have you?”

Sharon smiled and nodded, saying in a whisper “Yeah I’ve seen it”

Natasha shrugged “See? You have to push. And he’s gonna tell you to leave him alone but he doesn’t want you to leave him alone.You’ve just gotta push and push until finally he let’s himself open up. God knows that’s what I did”

* * *

More days past. And Noah still wouldn’t rest. He planned to move on down his list from Whitehall. To Octavian Bloom. He only just came up on their radar but apparently he had been involved with Hydra for years. He was going to be even harder to track down. But it didn’t mean that he was going to give up. 

Steve was trying to find a good time to tell Noah what he, Sharon, Natasha and Nick had discussed the other day. About their concern about his well being. He was trying to be as supportive as possible, which was hard for him to currently do as he was going through his own grievance.

Steve opened up Noah’s apartment door, it was always unlocked he had learnt over the past few weeks. He walked in to find Noah swigging back numerous amounts of beer as he looked down at the pictures and files he had stole from SHIELD in his little investigation room.

Steve crossed his arms and leaned against the door frame “Shouldn’t leave your door unlocked. Who knows who can walk in”

With his back still turned Noah muttered “Yeah well people around this place know better than to come into my place uninvited” he turned his head and looked to Steve over his shoulder “Although I see there are still some who didn’t get the memo”

Steve sighed as he dropped his arms. He still hadn’t forgotten that Natasha had told him that Noah had opened up to Steve quicker than he did with her. And it took _years_ for her. He had a long way to go but still it was progress. Steve walked into the room and over to the desk, staring down at all the possible leads that he could have but Steve deep down thinks is all dead ends. Inside, Noah may have gone a little mad. He was desperate.

“Noah-”

“You see this? Bloom has been part of Hydra for over forty years. He’s gotta know something”

Steve sighed “Yeah but Noah you’ve crossed the country to find a man you were sure would have known something and they didn’t, you’ve had these calls from your connections in six other different towns that said they may have found a woman matching your description and they ended up  _ not  _ being her”

Noah walked over to the photos that were hanging up on the other side of the room. From hacking into the databases that SHIELD had on the Red Room. Hydra. Anything that could give him any leads “Doesn’t mean that we should give up”

Steve rubbed his forehead “What are we doing Noah?”

Noah turned around and sternly replied “What?”

“What are we doing?” Steve repeated, his breath hitched as he glanced to the wall with his shrug “We’re just chasing shadows here”

“Really? You’re gonna tell me I’m crazy too”

“I’m not saying you’re crazy, Noah, but I am saying you need to open your mind to the fact that she’s-”

“What? Steve? She’s what?” Noah snarled. Steve bowed his head and then heard Noah scoff and mutter as he went to leave the room “You don’t get it”

Steve then looked up and grabbed hold of Noah’s arm and spun him back around “You think I don’t get it? Believe me I get it”

Noah threw his hand out of Steve’s hold and then pushed him back by his chest “You don’t! You had a thing with my mom for however long and you think it’s anything compared to what I-?”

“It wasn’t a ‘ _ thing’  _ Noah, it was a relationship, I loved your mother”

“Yeah I’m walking evidence of that huh?” Noah muttered as he walked into the living room. Soon being followed by Steve “Hey! Do you think this is easy for me-”

“Did I ever tell you how my dad died?” Noah turned around to him.

Steve remained silent as he watched Noah’s anger and sadness build up “He didn’t die as an old man he died when he was _ fifty two _ . That’s all he was fifty two because the heartbreak he went through with losing my mom was so goddamn unbearable he didn’t stop trying to look for answers. He didn’t stop trying to look for her or her  _ body  _ and he died of a heart attack because of the stress he put on himself all these years because he didn’t give up!”

“Yeah and do you want to end up like him? You’ve proved my point Noah, your dad died because of what you are doing right now. If you don’t stop now you maybe never will and where will that lead you? You may be strong through the serum in you but that doesn’t guarantee your heart won’t give up. Your dad couldn’t be here to warn you, so take it from another”

“You’re  _ not  _ my dad!”

“Except I am!”

Noah looked away from him and stared at the picture of Peggy he had on the wall. Steve then said in a softer voice “I know how hard it is to accept that she’s gone, I still love her, Noah and it’s hard but just the way Natasha tells the story, they either killed her or she went somewhere that got her killed. Remember the people she was dealing with”

Noah felt himself get more and more upset, his breathing got heavier as his eyes began to fill up. He had trouble controlling his emotions when it came to things that were so close to home. Noah looked behind Steve to the investigation room that he set up and then stormed back into it, Steve turned and saw how he began to smash things up. Flipping over the table, ripping down the map and all the file paper.

Steve ran over into the room and could hear Noah crying as he broke the table into pieces. Steve put his arms around Noah from behind and pulled him back. Steve’s back pressing against the wall as he kept onto Noah “It’s okay” he whispered.

Noah gripped onto Steve’s hand and bowed his head down as he let out his cries. Steve sighed and pressed his forehead against Noah’s shoulder. He didn’t let go of Noah until he was pushed away, and he wasn’t exactly surprised that Noah didn’t push him away. Because it was only time till Noah allowed himself to depend on someone else.

Noah slid down the wall and put his head in his hands. Steve then sat down beside him, but remained silent. Steve looked over the room and saw the picture of Peggy on the floor. He took a deep breath and shook his head as he rested his arms on his knees “I’m sorry”

Noah then shook his head and ran his fingers through the side of his head and then dragged his palms down his face “No I’m sorry. I’m doing it again, I’m letting all of this take over my judgement”

“With the whole Natasha thing?”

Noah looked to him “Who-”

“Sharon told me” Steve said with an exhausted look on his face, he didn’t even have the energy to make a white lit and say he heard it as a rumor or something. Noah nodded and looked down to the floor between his legs “Course she did”

“Don’t give her any hassle, she was just looking out for you” 

Noah pressed the back of his head against the wall and shook his head “I won’t” he then took a deep breath “It’s like I have something inside of me that doesn’t let me take a breath. I just get so worked up with it all and...I dunno”

“Hey I get it. I lost my best friend during the war and I was determined to get revenge for his death. If it wasn’t for your mom I would have really gone off the rails”

“I shouldn’t have made out that what you and my mom had was nothing. Sounds like you two really did love each other”

Steve nodded as he rubbed his arm and said in a whisper “Yeah” he cleared his throat and looked to Noah “You mentioned that Daniel died of a heart attack...because of the stress in finding your mom?”

Noah let out a shaky breath “I’m not saying this to undermine your relationship but...they loved each other  _ so  _ much”

Steve shook his head and said in a soft voice “I’ve never doubted that”

Noah took a breath as he rubbed his forehead “The love that he had for her drove him to it. He seriously just...it broke him”

_ 15th January 1958 _

_ Noah left Evelyn at Angie’s as he made his way to the office. Well, left might be the wrong word. He snuck out of his room whilst Angie was looking after them because Daniel wasn’t home again. He felt like he never see’s his father anymore. Daniel hasn’t been the same since Peggy was taken. Neither of them have been. _

_ The house wasn’t too far from the office. It was nearly midnight. Angie wasn’t a bad ‘babysitter’ she did get him to bed along with Evelyn before sleeping in the spare room by the time it hit half 11. Because most twelve year olds would be asleep by then. But Noah isn’t most twelve year olds. He had a key, it was Peggy’s. He kept onto it all the time. It had it uses, such as tonight. _

_ He had seen Rose press the certain buttons that open the elevator dozens of times so that wasn’t hard to do. When the doors opened to the floor. He saw Daniel arguing with Jack. Noah quickly hid behind the office door way and listened in. _

_ “Go home, Daniel” Jack spoke to him in a stern yet pleading way, he did care about Daniel and Peggy, he cared about the whole family. Over the years he had grown out of being such an asshole to them both. _

_ “I’m not done here” _

_ “Yes you are” _

_ “Back off, Jack” Daniel scoffed as he worked at his desk. Jack stared at him and looked over to Peggy’s hold desk. With the name plaque of ‘Director Carter’ still in the office. Since the opening of SHIELD all those years back. Peggy and Daniel came back here and turned the SSR office into a SHIELD home base. Jack motioned his hand to the desk “You’re holding on to anything you can” _

_ Daniel looked up and shook his head “We’ve been through this. I’m not clearing her desk” _

_ Jack turned on a therapist asset of the conversation and asked “Why?” _

_ Daniel then blurted out, without even thinking as he looked up to Jack “Because she’s gotta come back to it” _

_ Jack sighed with sympathy, knowing that he would say something like that. Jack leaned against the desk as Daniel bowed his head and took a deep breath. Jack softly shook his head “Daniel...that’s not gonna happen. We both know that” _

_ Daniel said nothing, he pinched the bridge of his nose when he felt Jack slap his hand on his shoulder and give him a brief light shake to grab his attention “Those kids need their father, they’ve already lost one parent...it’s been two years, we...you have to face the facts here. As hard as they may be” _

_ Daniel gulped heavy and took another deep breath, then saying in a dry voice “I don’t know how” _

_ “It’s going to take time” Jack shrugged as he dropped his hands “But it’ll get easier once you accept it...focus on those kids you’ve got at home. Eve is just grasping fully onto what’s happened and Noah is on the verge of being a teenager, a big step for any kid and hard for a kid who doesn’t have a mother to support him through it. Especially when they were as close as he was with Peggy” _

_ Noah slid down the wall and closed his eyes and he took on a deep breath, then hearing Daniel confess “I don’t like going home...the only reason I go back to that house is because our kids are there but. I hate getting into bed. Our bed...because it’s not ours anymore it’s just mine” Daniel took a deep breath as a tear ran down his cheek “Because she’s gone” _

_ Noah then heard a sound he had heard often since Peggy was taken away from them. A sob coming from his father. It was breathless and quiet, because he didn’t want to do it in front of anyone, and usually he didn’t. But Noah could always hear him cry from his bedroom. Noah looked over again and saw Jack having his hand on the back of Daniel’s neck and trying to comfort him the best he could. He wasn’t exactly good at this sort of thing. _

_ Noah pressed his hand down on the floor, accidentally making a loud creak noise on the floor. Causing the two men to look up and see Noah before he pulled his head back. _

_ “Noah?” Daniel called. Noah silently cursed under his breath and stood up, wiping his pants down of the dust and stepped into their view. Daniel sighed and shook his head, quickly wiping his tears as he and Jack walked towards him, meeting him halfway down the office “What’re you doing here?” _

_ “Yeah, not safe for you to be walking the streets at this time alone, buddy” Jack said as she slid his hands in his pockets. _

_ Noah shrugged “It was late and you still weren’t home. So I snuck out” _

_ “Noah” Daniel groaned in a sigh “Your Aunt must be going mad” _

_ Noah shook his head “She fell asleep about half an hour ago...I was going to head back when I saw you were working. But then I heard what you and Uncle Jack were talking about and I…” _

_ Jack gulped heavily and saw the sad look drop onto the twelve year old’s face “It’s okay, bud” _

_ Daniel sighed again in a softer tone and whispered as he brought Noah close “C’mere, son” _

_ Noah put his arms around Daniel’s waist as he felt Daniel take hold of him. Noah glanced to Jack and muttered “Uncle Jack is right, we need you dad. We need you to come home and be with us...because I miss momma everyday and you being away doesn’t help” _

_ Daniel closed his eyes, feeling a rush of guilt flow through his body. Not believing that he could be so blind, he bowed his head down and pressed his lips on top of Noah’s mousey brown hair and whispered “I’m sorry, Noah. I’m sorry I just...I miss your mom everyday too, and I guess I haven’t been dealing with it that well” Daniel put his finger under Noah’s chin and lifted his head to make him look at him, finally putting on a smile “But I’ll try and do better, promise” _

Noah stayed silent for a moment and then added on “And he did do better, he spent more time with us. He was always a good dad but he just lost his way for a little while. Course he never stopped searching though. He kind of just didn’t talk about it that much, which might have made it worse. He kept it all bottled up” he took his eyes to Steve “I guess I’ve been doing that too, huh?”

Steve nodded “Little bit”

Noah let out a brief smile as he looked back to the wall opposite them. Thinking for a moment, he then said “I’ll stop this. I’ll let myself come to terms that this isn’t what I think it is...on one condition”

“What?”

“Octavian Bloom, after research I have found to be my best bet in finding out the truth. If you help me get to him. He will be my last target, and if I don’t get anything promising then I will accept that she’s gone... _ again _ ”

Steve couldn’t really deny a lost son a wish like that. It would be the last time and by the way Noah is describing it. They would work as a team. Which was a step up from how things were done the last time. Slowly Steve nodded as he grew more and more on board “Yeah okay. You’ve got a deal”

“Good..good” Noah slowly began to stand up again. He looked at his mother's picture and knew that there was something he needed to do. Something she would  _ nag  _ him to do.

“There’s just something I have to do. I’m not sure how long I’ll be”

Steve then stood up “It’s getting late anyway, I’ll get back to my place. You gonna be okay?” Steve asked, putting his hand on Noah’s shoulder, actually getting a smile as a response as Noah nodded “Yeah I’ll be fine”

* * *

Natasha opened her eyes from falling asleep on the couch to her door getting bangs on it over and over again. Taking caution. She grabbed her gun from the side and took it in her hand, slowly walking over to the door, she looked through the peep hole and then let out a sigh. Whether it was of relief or nerves, she couldn’t exactly say. Natasha put the gun to the side, pulled the chain from the lock and opened the door to Noah.

He had tears in his eyes, he looked  _ guilty  _ almost. And he was. He felt guilty for the way he had been with her. Driving down here made him realize so much, which made him emotional. It seems that was the running story for tonight. It was something she hasn’t seen in a long long time, her eyebrows pinched together as her voice remained soft and concerned “Noah? What is it?”

Noah gulped heavily with a lump in his throat, Noah shook his head slowly and then said in a whisper “I need you”

Natasha’s face dropped to a mix of being relieved and also sympathetic by the clear sadness he was feeling. Noah stared at her and then repeated in a  _ crying  _ whisper “I need you, Nat”

Natasha didn’t say anything, she just took hold of his jacket and pulled him to her. Wrapping her arms around him, resting her hand on the back of his head and closing her eyes as she took in a deep breath. Slowly opening them as she relaxed her body as his arms went around her waist. They didn’t speak for a fair few minutes they just remained how they were.

Both finally feeling that a weight had been lifted off of their shoulders. Because without each other, they didn’t feel the same


	10. Chapter 10

Noah sat at the kitchen table as Natasha poured them both a cup of coffee, as she did she looked at him “So what’s happened?”

Noah shrugged “What makes you think something’s happened?”

Natasha smirked to him as she slowly sat down beside him “Please, Noah, I know what you’re like. Something always happens that gives you a kick to make amends”

“Right. Should remember who I’m talking to” Noah muttered as he took the cup of coffee in his hand. Natasha raised her eyebrows and nudged his foot with hers “So?”

“Kind of had a little break down…”

Natasha tilted her head, crossing her arms and leaning on them on the table. She slowly rubbed her lips together before asking “What happened?”

“I let things get on top of me again”

Natasha raised her eyebrows “Again?”

Noah gulped and let out a small laugh “Yeah I erm...never told you this but remember when you got kidnapped?”

“I can’t exactly forget something like that” she laughed “What about it?”

Noah sighed and sat back in the chair “Well I did what I’ve been doing now when that happened. Ended up in A&E because I fainted from not eating or drinking” Natasha reached over and put her hand on his “How come you never told me that?”

“Because I didn’t want to worry you” Noah shrugged, then laughing at himself “Guess I’m a hypocrite”

“No you’re not” Natasha shook her head and leaned back in her chair, then muttering “What I kept from you was far worse...which again-”

“You’re sorry for” Noah said, then breaking a soft smile “I know, Nat. And it’s okay. I’m okay”

“You sure?”

Noah shrugged as he nodded “Yeah course. I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it...the one thing I didn’t mean was back at the helicarrier with the New York thing...when I said our relationship was a lie. Didn’t mean that”

“I know you didn’t”

Noah smiled to her and both of them let out small sighs of relief. It felt much better for him especially to have her back in his life rather than be angry. Because he could have carried on being angry, he was stubborn as hell and knew how to hold a grudge. But deciding to let it go and have her back in his life was the best decision that he had ever made.

The last time he had let a woman get so close to him, she broke his heart. And she was supposed to be the love of his life.

_20th October 1973_

_Noah never intended to fall in love. But when he met Sarah Mayfield, it was almost a mistake to fall head over heels for her. Within a few months he wanted to marry her. Call him a hopeless romantic. Because up until he met her. He never thought he’d even meet someone to love._

_They moved in together after four months of being together. He didn’t think anything could break them. Till he was called in by Howard to come for some sort of check up. Howard explained that he had remade the serum that was used for Steve, at first Noah didn’t understand. But then Howard explained that he would finally be able to tell something that had been on the minds of both Peggy and Daniel. Is the serum carried genetically?_

_Peggy never really thought about it, especially since Howard said he couldn’t see it being carried through to him when he was born. But Howard tested on rats, he gave one rat the serum, then it bred with another and the babies all had the serum inside of them. So Howard got curious, and he was right. The serum from Steve had gone in to Noah. It was a big shock and a life altering discovery, since Howard told him that his age process would have hit the stage of when it would slow down by a large rate._

_He was thanking god that he had Sarah. She would be supportive. With losing Daniel last year and Evelyn being away at her training for the military. Right now she was all that he had._

_So, Sarah was already at home when he had gotten home. In the kitchen, making a cup of coffee. She smiled and kissed him as he walked through the door. Noah took off his jacket and took her over to the couch to talk. Sarah sat close to him, her hand resting on his leg as she looked at him with deep concern._

_“What’s up, honey? You’re freaking me out a little”_

_Noah rubbed his hands on his legs and took a deep breath and as he took hold of her hand “Okay so, you know how I told you that my biological father was Steve Rogers”_

_“Yeah?”_

_“Well. My Uncle, Howard. He wanted to run test on me because he thinks he discovered something about the serum and erm...it’s been genetically passed on to me”_

_Sarah slowly nodded as she tried her best to understand “Okay...so what does that mean?”_

_Noah took another deep breath “It means that, my aging process is not like regular people, it ain’t like yours. I age slower, much slower”_

_He saw the shock and taken back feeling just by the look on her face, he felt her hand slowly slip out of his as she sat back and tried to process it. It fell silent for a good while.Noah’s jaw clenched as the silence slowly ate away at him, he looked to her and muttered “Sar?”_

_“I just erm…” Sarah laid her hands on the couch, ready to stand up. After a pause she did so “I’m going to just get some air, okay?”_

_Noah didn’t try to pull her back or argue with her. He just watched her walk out, he understood. She just needed some time alone to let it process. Which was easy to get. If someone told him that, he’d need some air too. In the end she’d come back to him and they’d get back on track, it was just a little shake that’s all._

_He didn’t expect her to be so long, she was hours. So much that he fell asleep on the couch as he waited for her. He woke up to hearing a door slam. Noah jumped as he woke up and saw Sarah coming out of their bedroom with a suitcase. It made him shoot up from the couch and hurry over to her “What’re you doing?”_

_“I can’t do this. Us”_

_“What...what’re you-”_

_She shook her head “This is too much to accept”_

_Noah’s breath hitched “Sar. Don’t do this, this isn’t going to change, it doesn’t have to change. I’m always going to be here”_

_“Exactly. You’ll always be here, like this...I’ll look older and you’ll just”_

_“So this is just about what people will think?”_

_Sarah shook her head “No. And I’m sorry. This is worse on you than me...because this is a life sentence for you. I can’t do this” she put her hand on his chest and softly commanded “I’m going to leave, I’ll be back for the rest of my stuff soon”_

_She leaned forward and kissed him “It’s a good job we didn’t get in too deep”_

_“Didn’t get in too deep? We moved in together”_

_“And luckily that’s as far as it’s gone I do love you but I can’t be with you...goodbye Noah”_

He never saw her again after that. She had come and gotten the rest of her stuff whilst he was at work, all that she left was a note. One that he didn’t read. He just threw it into a trashcan filled with fire along with many other pictures and memories. Ever since that day he made a vow that he wouldn’t let anyone else in.

“So where do you go from here? With this whole search for Peggy?”

Noah took a deep breath through his nose “I made a deal with Steve. We go after one more guy and if I still get nothing from them about her, then I drop it. I need to accept that she’s gone. But not without taking one last shot”

“You really think you’ll be able to let it all go?”

“No” Noah laughed breathlessly “But Steve is right. It’s unlikely that Hydra would have let her survive it’s…” he sighed “Steve needs the chance to grieve”

“So why go after one more guy?”

Once again, Noah shrugged “Closure I guess”

She could understand that, it was only natural. He had been given so much hope with all of this, it was only natural that he gave it one last shot. He owed it to both himself and Peggy. Just taking one last shot was all that he needed to get over this. It was going to be hard. But couldn’t let this take over his life. Natasha rubbed her lips together, keeping her eyes on him “So you want my help?”

“Should’ve had you helping me from the start. So if you’re game. I do need your help. You’re better at all of this than I am”

“Well that’s true” Natasha muttered, causing Noah to let out a small laugh. Natasha wrapped her hands around her cup of coffee and said to him as she began to take a sip of it “I’ve always got your back, you know that, right?”

“I know”

* * *

Natasha told Nick what Noah had said. How he planned on giving up on this pipe dream after taking this one last shot. Nick decided to bring it into work. If Noah, Steve and Natasha alongside help from Sharon could hunt Bloom down and bring him into custody, then Noah could interrogate him as much as he wants. Might even get him a gold star.

Natasha worked with Noah closely again. It was second nature to her, it felt like home to her.

They worked together, going through any old hydra facilities that were rumored to still be in tact. Most of them actually weren’t. Most of them were, to say as lightly as possible, a waste of time.

“This next one?” Natasha said, resting her arm on his shoulder as she leaned forward and pointed to the map they had laid out. After his break down, they rebuilt the investigation room and worked in there. Noah shrugged and shook his head “I don’t know. It’s a long stretch, I think if we kept to facilities that were closed to here and New York”

Steve walked in with three cups of coffee “He’s got a point. New York was certainly a key place for Hydra back in the war”

Natasha looked to him as he placed the cups down on the table “Yeah but you along with others after you, like Peggy, took Hydra down right?”

“Well yeah but it’s like Noah said. There will be members still around, trying to salvage something. Even if Hydra is gone as a whole”

She saw his point, she’d let him have that one. Natasha took her eyes to Noah and lightly tapped the back of his head “You’re being too quiet”

“I’m trying to pinpoint the best option” Then something came to his head. Something that made him _laugh_. Noah stood up straight which cause Natasha to drop her arm, she looked to him and raised her eyebrows “What?”

“Octavian _Bloom_ ” Noah muttered, walking out of the room. Leaving Steve and Natasha to still be confused. They followed him out and saw him on the computer. Natasha sat beside him as Steve sat down on the sofa arm, crossing his arms together.

Steve leaned forward and read “Bloom Estate Winery...Noah that’s a vineyard”

Noah nodded and said as he continued to click and type “A vineyard...that was bought and made...” Noah stopped and leaned back “By Octavian Bloom’s father. How much are you willing to bet that it was passed down to his one and only son”

Natasha smirked and got what he was implying. Once again Steve shrugged “But how does-”

“Steve if you were, well you _are_ old-”

“So are you” Steve argued back.

“Besides the point-if you were a physically old man. Where would you go in retirement? A crummy apartment? Or an estate on a vineyard?” Noah raised his eyebrows to him.

Natasha leaned back on the couch and said “I’d know what I’d do. Hell I’d do that now”

Noah let out a small amused huff through his nose as he took his eyes back to the screen. Steve looked at both of them and asked “So where is it?”

“Bout twenty minutes away. Out of the city”

“How the hell is it even on the internet? If he wanted to hide out?” Natasha questioned. Noah shrugged “You can’t hide much anymore. Much less a vineyard”

“Which is why it’ll probably be guarded” Steve stated as he sipped his cup of coffee. Natasha nodded “He’s right. Nick also said if we found him, he wanted us to bring him in. We’ll need a team. It’s our best bet”

“Took the words right out of my mouth” Noah muttered, looking to her and giving her a small smile, he looked to Steve and raised his eyebrows “Sound good?”

“Sounds good” Steve confirmed with a nod. Noah’s phone then began to ring, he leaned forward and soon grabbed it as he muttered “Shit”

Natasha raised an eyebrow “What?”

“It’s Eve” Noah muttered, he put the phone to his ear as he cleared his throat “Hey sis”

_“Oh hi stranger. Where the hell have you been I’ve been worried as hell”_

“You spoke to Sharon though right”

_“Yes I spoke to Sharon but I wanted to speak to you. It’s been almost three weeks”_

Noah pinched the bridge of his nose when he felt Natasha punch his arm, he silently yelled with pain as he looked to her, then seeing her shout at him in silence “Three weeks!”

Noah waved his hand to her and focused back to his sister, he stood up and walked into the kitchen“Yeah well don’t worry Natasha is already giving me shit for it and I feel like I’ll be getting more”

_“Sharon told me you had a fall out and that’s why you’ve been so bummed. You two okay?”_

Noah looked over his shoulder to Natasha and then nodded “Yeah we’re fine”

_“That’s the one good thing you’ve got going on in your life. Your relationship so don’t blow it. No matter what”_

“Jeez _mom_ okay”

He heard her hum a sweet laugh _“Did I really just sound like her?”_

Noah smiled sweetly and nodded “Yeah you did. Look I’m sorry about not being in touch. You doing okay?”

_“I’m dying”_

“What!”

 _“Kidding”_ she said bluntly _“But for all you know I could’ve been”_

Noah put his palm his his face and groaned “Jesus Christ, Eve. Alright I’ll take that because I’ve been an ass” he heard her let out a small chuckle _“Alright, big brother. Just checking in on you. Are you alright? Is everything good now?”_

Noah dropped his hand, letting out a relaxed and relieved smile “Yeah everything's good now” he debated on telling her about the whole thing about looking for Peggy. It felt wrong keeping this from her. But he knew what she would say. She would tell him to cut it out, even after he explained everything she still would find it hard to believe there is any possibility. Not being in this line of work makes it harder to believe this sort of thing “Don’t worry about me”

_“Well that’s hard to do when you keep finding reasons to make me worry”_

“Alright. I’ll do my best to stop that” Noah scratched the back of his head “I promise I’ll talk soon. Nat, Steve and I are just covering some ground work on our new operation”

_“Things going good with Steve?”_

Noah looked to Steve and then turned back as he nodded “You know what. Yeah they are. Next time you’re in town I’ll even let you meet him”

She teased him by gasping and then said _“Why thank you!”_

Noah let out a small chuckle and then after saying their goodbyes, he hung up the phone and walked back over to the couch.

* * *

The following evening, at 6pm. They went to headquarters to talk to Nick and pitch their next step about Bloom.

He sat and he listened. Then he remained silent for a painfully long few seconds before taking in his dramatic deep breath and then saying boldly “Well. You’ve certainly given this some thought”

Noah nodded, raising his eyebrows to him “Enough thought for you to green light this”

“Oh you need my permission now?”

Noah crossed his arms “Well I usually don’t like to play by the rules but _for now_ Steve does”

Nick let out a small amused laugh under his breath and looked at their waiting faces, he knew that if he would say no. Natasha and Noah would just convince Steve to bend the rules and go anyway. Either way he knew they would go to this estate to try and get Bloom. He may as well give them some help “Fine, I’ll assemble together a tact team to give this a shot. No doubt the estate will be more like a _fortress_ than a vineyard”

Bloom had been on their radar for a while, but he was clever. He would always slip under it and disappear. Hell, if Noah hadn’t of driven past the vineyard last year when out with Natasha then he wouldn’t of even pointed this out. Noah had a fantastic memory which was both a blessing and sometimes a curse, he can never get rid of the wrongs he had done in his past. Natasha knew that feeling all too well.

“Thank you, sir” Steve nodded, looking to Noah and Natasha who smirked to each other, then looking to Steve and giving him a nod. Smug that they had gotten their way.

“How soon do you want the team?” Nick asked, causing the three of them to turn their heads back to him, and Natasha answering his question with a question “How fast can you get them here?”

“Bout two hours”

“Then two hours” Noah added. Nick shrugged and nodded as he picked up his phone “Fine. I’ll get it underway”

“Good” Noah plastered on a grin, then wiggling his eyebrows to Natasha and nodding to outside “Come on, let’s go get food” he then smirked “I saw Maria out there”

Steve looked to Natasha and saw the expression on her face, causing her to slap his back as he walked ahead of her. Natasha felt his eyes on her and looked to him. Steve quickly looked away and just smirked to himself.

She got jealous. It was a standard fact. Now, Steve, regardless of what he truly thought didn’t narrow it down to her having feelings for Noah (although that’s exactly what he thinks) but he gets the impression that Natasha likes being the woman in his life. In any kind whether it be friendship or whatever. Noah told him that once he had gotten on a good friend basis with one of the agents that used to work here and although she said nothing, he could tell that Natasha was jealous. And he never saw that agent again. Natasha never liked the feeling she was going to be replaced. It was just about the only vulnerable part of her that she showed.

Noah turned to her after being pushed and laughed, throwing his arm around her shoulder and shook her as they walked down the hall with Steve trailing behind them. Well, if he didn’t feel like a third wheel before he certainly did now.

* * *

After those two hours, the three of them were all suited and booted.

Noah didn’t have anything too special, suit wise. It wasn’t as... _theatrical_ as Steve’s. But each Avenger had to have a special mark. Symbol of some kind, Noah’s suit was like any other SHIELD uniform, the thing that made it different was the patch on his left shoulder. It was the old SSR bird, for his parents and was blood red in memorial to his mother, it then also had a white threaded target mark surrounding it. Because he never misses.

Would it be hard to believe that Coulson had input on this one too.

There was seven of them on the team altogether, Nick didn’t want to go too over the top. Sharon was currently out of town, back in New York so she had to miss out. But she wished them luck and success. They needed all the luck they could get to win the success.

Natasha cleaned her gun as they were in the back of the van. She looked up to Noah, who had the back of his head pressed against the wall of the van. Natasha put her foot forward and nudged his “Penny for them”

Noah smiled, he shrugged “Keep your money I’m not thinking of much”

“God you’re a terrible liar” Natasha whispered, causing him to laugh and shake his head, looking away from her and saying “Shut it, Romanoff”

Natasha smirked and finished cleaning her gun before clicking it back all into place.

After a few more minutes the truck came to a halt. Steve gripped onto his shield and nodded “Alright everyone. We stick to the plan”

The plan was that they divided. Noah, Natasha and Steve would go in a three to the front whilst two went to one side and the other. When they got out of the truck, there wasn’t much of a fortress at all. But that was how it _looked_ it gave no intel on what it could really be.

They all had their guns ready. Natasha had out her device on her phone that could get up the prints of the code at the front gate. That wasn’t  a problem for them, not at all. Noah searched the place with his eyes when he muttered to them “Am I being a cynic or does this seem too easy”

“Both” Natasha replied.

“You can’t be both”

“Of course you can be both” Natasha argued back.

“Quiet you two” Steve whispered. They both shot each other a glance, feeling like naughty school children for a moment. They soon snapped back into actually being professionals and kept a look out. Still, it was quiet. They would almost go to the extent in saying that it was empty. They got to the front door untouched.

_“Cap. We found two guards round the back. Took them out without a word”_

Noah looked to Steve and raised his eyebrows to him “So it isn’t empty”

Steve couldn’t help but feel as if his son was being smug with him. Which was a correct thing to feel because he 100 percent was being smug. He just rolled his eyes at him. Natasha took a step back and looked up the wall “I could scale that”

Noah looked to where she was looking and then said “Going up the waterspout itsy bitsy?”

“You don’t think I can?”

“Oh no I know you can. Just fun to say”

Natasha smirked “Well, watch this spider get to work” Noah stapped back and watched her beginning to scale up the wall, Noah couldn’t help but admire her do so. Sure she was the best friend. But when his best friend looks like _that_ it was hard to avoid looking at. With Natasha getting on higher ground, she would be able to look in and see inside to give them a better in sight.

_“Okay I’m up”_

Noah raised his eyebrows “You went for a nap or something?”

_“God who put a quarter in you today. Okay so I see inside. Guess what I see?”_

“What?”

 _“Old Bloom sitting in a leather chair in front of a cosy fire. He’s feeling very smug and cosy evidently-”_ she then suddenly cut off. Noah’s eyebrows pinched together “Nat?”

Noah stepped back again and looked up to try and spot her on the roof “Nat!”

Steve put his hand on Noah’s arm and tried to shush him down, he didn’t want Bloom hearing and then calling in any guards that are roaming the place. Though through Noah’s gut instinct it seems Natasha has already run into some. Noah looked to Steve and ordered “Get inside the house whilst I cover the perimeter”

Steve barely even had time to say anything. Noah was up that wall so fast it was as if he just poofed away. Noah got up on the roof and saw Natasha being tackled down by two well skilled men. Noah jumped on one of their backs and pulled him back. Pressing his knee down on his chest and knocking him out with a single punch, then turning to see that Natasha had taken care of hers.

Natasha scoffed as she stood up “Had him on the ropes”

Noah pouted “If that’s your story”

Natasha smirked to him as he stood closely to her and then looked to the side “That vineyard. Four guards at the front” Natasha slapped his stomach “Call in the tact team and tell them to take care of it”

“Why can’t you?”

Natasha’s head snapped back to him “Don’t argue with me”

“I’m not arguing-”

“It kinda sounds like you are”

Noah rolled his eyes and groaned, then contacting the tact team and giving them the orders. Whilst those guards were taken care of, Noah and Natasha broke through the window and landed in the living room where Steve was creeping up behind Bloom. Which clearly now went to shit since their cover was well and truly blown. Steve stood up straight and sighed to them as they stood in front of their mark with their guns pointed to him. They were lucky that they didn’t give the old man a heart attack.

Now Steve understands why Nick tries to separate them on missions, they were like kids in a toy shop together. But he could never tear them apart.

Noah stared to Bloom in the eyes and muttered as he gripped tighter onto his gun that was still pointed at his head “Boy am I gonna have fun with you”


	11. Chapter 11

Noah was genuinely surprised at how easy that all was. Then again, Bloom probably never expected that he would needed to be heavily armed since he had been living in bliss for a lifetime of years. Well that certainly came down on him like a bitch.

Bloom was being held in an interrogation room. Noah let Steve go in first. Steve seemed to be good at getting things out of people by the way he spoke, he was convincing. Noah was a hard ass, he took a leaf out of his Uncle Jack Thompson’s book and just ended up punching the daylight out of them. Which wasn’t exactly allowed anymore. But he was old fashioned in that sense.

Natasha and Noah watched through the two way mirror. It wasn’t exactly Noah’s idea to have Steve go in first. Natasha twisted his arm to make him to do, he took a deep breath and shook his head “I still don’t see the problem”

“You can’t go round punching seventy year old men. You’ll end up giving him a heart attack or something and would get nothing”

He didn’t respond. Which was music to Natasha’s ears because that let her know that he knew she was right.  They just kept their mouths shut and just watched Steve talk to Bloom.

At first, Steve didn’t look at him. Until Bloom tilted his head to him “Captain Rogers. For a dead man. You are looking well”

Steve sat back in his chair, shaking his head and simply answered back “I’m not here to talk about me”

“No I gathered that”

“I’m here to talk about Peggy Carter”

“I suspected as much” Bloom shrugged “But I don’t know how I can help you”

Steve linked his hands together, laying them down on the table as he leaned forward “Oh I think you do...you’re going to tell me everything you know”

“Peggy Carter was killed in 1956-”

“You know that’s not the case. You were one of the main leads of HYDRA at the time it was running, something as big as kidnapping the Director of SHIELD would not go under the radar to you. In fact you probably ordered it...we know that Peggy Carter wasn’t killed in 1956 because one of her old students from the red room is now an agent for this organisation”

“Ah yes” Bloom nodded “Natasha Romanoff I believe she goes by now. The student who got her killed”

Natasha took a deep breath through her nose, seeing Noah glance to her. Noticing how much it shook her, hearing those words come from his mouth. Noah kept his eyes on her for a moment and as comfort, he took hold of her hand as he looked back to the mirror. Natasha looked at him, _surprised..._ but she didn’t let go. She just gripped onto him tighter and looked back.

Steve rubbed his lips together and shook his head “I don’t believe that.. I find it hard to believe that you would kill one of the most skilled agents in the world because of one slip. You told her you were going to kill her family but you didn’t...there is a motive as to why and I want to know”

Bloom raised his eyebrows “There isn’t much that can get past you is there Captain Rogers?”

Steve remained silent. Then Bloom raised his eyebrows “Do you really want to hear about what we did to her?” Bloom watched how Steve’s jaw began to clench. The satisfaction inside of him grew. He leaned forward to Steve, who still didn’t say a word. And was _still_ clenching his jaw due to attempting to keep his emotions under check, but it was clear that this subject would easily make his composure crack.

He decided to tell a story, one that didn’t tell Steve or Noah and Natasha whether or not Peggy was killed or spared. But it certainly let them understand the kind of mind games that they played on her. The pain they caused her.

_Peggy tried her best to catch her breath as she picked herself up from the floor after the agonizing blow she just took to her stomach. She coughed and spit out on the concrete floor and got on her knees, only to then be slapped with a back hand across her cheek._

_“Достаточно (Enough)” Bloom ordered. Peggy remained silent, she just focused on catching her breath. He knelt down in front of her and stared at her, then grabbing hold of her cheek “Such a pretty face”_

_Peggy pulled her head out of his hold and heard him add “Shame it has to be treated in such a manner because of your foolishness. All you had to do was keep your mouth shut. You crossed the line”_

_Peggy lifted her head up, looking up to the ceiling and said in a weak voice “I’ve still got my heart in tact unlike the rest of those women”_

_“All it took was for little Natalia to pull out a few tears and you cracked”_

_Peggy said nothing, she just looked away. She heard him take in a deep breath, he shook his head “Fine” he stood up “Like you said, Agent Carter. Those women don’t have a heart anymore. Because we destroyed their lives so that they had nothing to be ‘kind’ for”_

_Peggy felt her blood run cold, her heart began to race and not in the good way. Bloom turned his head to his workers behind him “Kill the husband”_

_Peggy’s face dropped, her eyes widened. She stood up and screamed “No! Please!”_

_She was ignored “Kill them all, the whole family”_

_Peggy walked over to him “Don’t hurt my babies-”_

_He turned and grabbed her face “Maybe we’ll spare your son. Make him one of our own”_

_“If you touch him-”_

_“What?” he snarled in her face. Peggy’s breath became slight erratic. She shook her head and said in a cry “He’s just a boy”_

_His hand went around her neck “Wrong. He’s your boy. He’s Rogers boy... he isn’t just any boy...perhaps if you had kept your legs closed in the war you wouldn’t be in this mess”_

_“There’s nothing of Steve in him that would make him scientifically special. He’s normal” she wasn’t exactly sure if that was true. They never said anything to her about him having any part of the serum in Noah. In fact Howard said it would be pretty unlikely. Clearly he underestimated what he had created in the first place. Peggy shook her head “Let them live. I will not repeat my mistake. You can beat me black and blue, break every bone in my body, let that be my lesson. Just please do not harm my husband or my children. They think I’m dead. They’re already hurting”_

_“Bloom. Sir. What are our orders?”_

_Bloom turned back around, throwing Peggy back down on the floor “Carter is right. He is just a boy. He has no use to us. So kill him too”_

_Peggy screamed once again and jumped up to fight, but was quickly grabbed hold of my two of Bloom’s men, dragging her back into her cell until they could come up with a decision on what to do with her._

Bloom let a small laugh slip as he watched the blood practically drain from Steve’s face. Natasha was the one who was hold Noah’s hand for comfort. It would have been hell having to hear that. It wasn't so pleasant for her either. Hearing the pain that she had inflicted. But it wasn’t her fault, Noah hoped that she realizes that deep down.

“You’re right, Captain, we didn’t kill her family. We made it look like we did”

“But _why_?” Steve’s voice became strained.

“It wasn’t worth the risk. If we sent anyone to rid of her husband, daughter and your _love child_ then that could get begin a trace, no, all we needed was for her to believe. Then she had nothing to fight for”

Steve raised his eyebrows and shook his head “So you didn’t kill her? You wanted to make her be like the other teachers”

Bloom shrugged “Perhaps. There were difficulties”

“Such as?”

Bloom then laughed “She was one strong bitch” they then heard a loud bang come from the other side of the mirror, Bloom smirked and said “That’d be your son?”

“Yeah” Steve muttered, leaning forward again and saying “And we’re both getting a little ansty here”

Bloom turned his head back to him and raised his eyebrows “She talked about you. You know? In her sleep. Guards heard her call your name, I suppose it wasn’t her husband who was the knight in shining armor in her life”

“She loved her husband” Steve sharply answered back. Noah was grateful for that.

“And we’re not here to talk about her husband or me. We’re here to talk about what the hell happened to her”  

Bloom nodded “I’ll give you what you want. For a deal. I tell you what you want to know and I return back to my vineyard where I can live out the rest of my days in peace”

“You think you deserve peace?” Steve snapped “Not just for what you put her through but what you put _every single_ person HYDRA captured through during and after the war”

“That’s my deal”

Steve remained silent again, he looked to the mirror. The he heard Bloom laugh which caused him to look back at him. Bloom scratched his chin with his cuffed hand and then said “Forgive me but I can’t help but just wonder. What was she like? Was she as good as they said”

Steve’s eyebrows pinched together. Hoping that he was implying what he thinks he was implying “What did you just say?”

Bloom shrugged “I never had a chance myself. Man to man. Was she good?”

Steve’s breath hitched, shaking his head and grumbling a slow angry laugh. He bowed his head down on the table and then launched forward over the table, ripping the chains off of the table and gripping onto his shirt and throwing him against the wall. Noah quickly ran in there. But not the split it up. But he saw it as a window for him beating the shit out of him.

Natasha then ran after them both, calling for the two agents she spotted down the hall to come in and help. Natasha along with another female and male agent rushed in to help. Natasha grabbed hold of Noah and dragged him back whilst the other two did their best to pull Steve back. Natasha pushed him out of the room.

“Have you completely lost your mind?”

“Did you hear what he said!”

Natasha sighed, she rubbed her lips together and nodded, walking closer to him and putting her hand on his arms. Their faces close together and foreheads slightly pressed together “Yeah I did. And I’m sorry you had to hear...but you have to try and keep calm. One real punch on that guy and you could’ve killed him”

“Good”

“It’d only be good when we get what we need from him” Natasha whispered. She put her hands over his still clenched hands and lowered them down “Take it easy”

Steve then stepped out of the room, taking deep breaths as he pressed her back against the wall. Steve glanced to Noah and then shook his head “Sorry. I shouldn’t of…”

“You’re taking father and son bonding to an extreme boys” Natasha muttered, she pointed to Steve “You’re done”

“But-”

“You’re done” Natasha repeated, still in a soft tone but also stern. She turned to Noah “Get back in that viewing room. I’m going to take over”

Noah didn’t even bother to argue because he’d know that he’d only use often the bickering exchanges with her. He looked to Steve and nodded at him to following him, which he did without question.

Natasha walked back in a the agents guided Bloom back onto his seat. Luckily he wasn’t injured enough to terminate and postpone the investigation for him to get a check up. Bloom wiped the blood that dripped down his nose “Not exactly the treatment I was expecting, being an old man and everything”

“Then don’t make remarks like you just did about a well loved and respected woman” Natasha said sharply.

“Loved by you too no doubt? After all she was the only one who showed you a glimmer of motherhood. I’m sure you did her proud by shacking up with her son”

Natasha let that slide, she was more controllable of snapping and losing her cool. It wasn’t the first time she had heard remarks like that about her relationship with Noah. It won’t be the last either no doubt.

Natasha stayed stood, she laid her hand down on the table and leaned forward “Okay. That deal you want. You got it” she lied convincingly.

“You must be desperate” Bloom laughed.

“We are” Natasha nodded. Bloom shrugged and asked “How do I not know you’ll just lock me away after I tell you what I know?”

“Good point” Natasha said in a whisper “Maybe you should just take the chance. What have you really got to lose?”

“Silence is a gift”

“This is someones mother!” Natasha snarled “You kidnapped and tortured a woman who had a son and daughter at home grieving her. Do you not have a shred of humanity left in you to just tell us if she is alive or dead”

Bloom looked to the mirror once again. With Natasha eyes staring at him coldly, he clicked his gum and turned his head back to Natasha. He laughed again and shook his head. Natasha stood back up and walked over to the door. Calling someone in. An agent came in with a needle.

Noah smirked “She’s amazing”

“What?”

“Truth serum. He couldn’t avoid the question now even if he tried”

Natasha looked to the mirror and smirked to him through the mirror. They couldn’t see each other. But she knew that he was smiling. She took her head back to Bloom and asked “Did you kill Peggy Carter?”

He tried to resist answering, Natasha cocked up an eyebrow as she looked to him from looking down at the table, his teeth gritted together before being forced out the word “No”

Noah’s breath hitched on the other side of the mirror. He felt like his legs had turned to jelly for a moment, he may have even fell to the floor if Steve hadn’t of put his hand on his back.

“Did you want to?”

“Yes”

Natasha then took a seat “What happened then, Octavian?”

Again his teeth gritted, but this damn dose was so strong that it was practically impossible for him to not answer “We kept her prisoner. For months. She turned weak but was still too strong to kill. We didn’t think that one through. One night I along with other decided to move her to another prison. One much worse. We wanted her to break. It took a boat ride. I didn’t go. When they got on the boat she attacked them, pushed them all over board and took the boat away”

Natasha raised both her eyebrows briefly, she had no idea just how bad ass this woman was “So...you didn’t know where she went?”

“The boat had a tracker, she killed it before we had a specific place. But she was in England, that was where the tracker located before she saw and killed it”

“Did you look for her?”

“Yes”

“Where did you cover?”

“The big cities. Central London. Manchester. Newcastle and so on...”

Of course they didn’t find her there. She wasn’t stupid. Peggy wouldn’t escape to her home country to then hide away in obvious cities such as those, Bloom was more stupid than he looked. Natasha glanced to the mirror and then nodded as she stood back up “Thank you for your co...well it’s not as if you had a choice really is it”

“I take that the deal-”

“There was never a deal. I’m sure you were smart enough to at least realize that” Natasha said, walking out the door which locked itself straight after. The viewing room door flew open. Noah walked out with an overwhelmed smile on his face “She’s alive”

“It seems like it” Natasha smiled to him, Noah walked to her and wrapped his arms around her. Natasha rested her head on his shoulder and rubbed his back. Steve took a relieved breath and said “Do we have any idea where she could have gone?”

Noah nodded and pulled away “Yeah. The town she grew up. She always said that if she didn’t have the job that she had that we would have moved there as a family”

“Hampstead” Steve nodded, seeing the surprised look on Noah’s face, he shrugged and said with a light laugh “We had a lot of late nights”

Noah smirked and nodded “Right” he took his eyes back to Natasha “Fancy a trip to the British countryside?”

“I’ll go pack my wellies” Natasha muttered, slapping Noah’s chest and walking down the hall as Agents went into the interrogation room to chain Bloom back up and take him to him cell. Noah put his hands to the back of his head “I hope she’s there”

“So do I”

Noah looked up to Steve “If...I mean when we ever find her...do you want to be with her again?”

Steve looked to him and shrugged “Would you be against it?”

Noah then shrugged “Suppose not…”

Steve smiled briefly and shook his head as he looked down the hall “Let’s just focus on finding her and getting her home” he slapped his hand on Noah’s shoulder and raised his eyebrows to him “Yeah?”

Noah nodded and gave a tight smile “Yeah”

* * *

Noah knocked on Natasha apartment door and opened it to see her dashing around her place. With his gym bag on his shoulder. He raised his eyebrows to her and said with a stiff laugh "This isn't a holiday"

Natasha stopped and stared at him "How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to know that you don't need to go so crazy. You've been to England before"

Natasha ran her fingers through her hair "I know. Weather is unpredictable"

"It's autumn there"

There was a silence "That tells me nothing"

Noah laughed as he dropped his bag and walked in the apartment, taking her bag from her hand and lying it down on the couch. He opened it up and shook his head "It's gonna be cold"

"In autumn?"

"Trust me" Noah nodded "One time when I was nine. Ma took us to Hampstead in the autumn around this time. It's when Winter starts to kick in. She let me pack my own bag and warned me when I was packing shorts and a vest but I didn't listen" he pulled a tight smile to her.

Natasha scrunched her nose up and shook her head "Should always listen to momma"

"I guess" Noah laughed "She did get a kick outta it though. Dad kept telling her to leave me alone but she couldn't stop laughing when the three of them were going round London all wrapped up and I was dressed like...it was California"

Natasha couldn't help the giggle that overpowered her, she slapped his arm as she carried on laughing and then muttered through it "I've never heard you mention that before" she crossed her arms "In fact I can't think of one single happy story that you have told me about you guys"

Noah nodded, she was right. He never really told her one happy or funny memory like that. He then heard her add on "You should. It would be nice to hear that at one point in your life you were really happy"

Noah rolled his eyes with a smirk "Course I'm happy" he muttered, grabbing her inappropriate weather clothing out of her bag and said to her as he went to walk into her room "Got you haven't I?"

Natasha weakly smiled as Noah passed her and went into the bedroom. She knew that he said things like that to try and let her know he's grateful for her, which she does know. But he isn't happy. No matter how hard he'd try to convince you. He just isn't there yet. Which is why she was desperate for Peggy to be here.

After another two minutes. Noah came back out with the good choice of clothing in his hands

"Here we go"

He didn't get much. They didn't know how long they'd be there but he imagined it wouldn't be so long that they'd need suitcases. Natasha watched him pack up her stuff for her, like she was some toddler. He was just distracting himself, usually he'd say _'You've got hands do it_ _yourself'_ in the nicest way possible. Natasha gave him a small nudge "You nervous?"

Noah looked up to her, knowing that he wasn't doing very well in acting as if he was cool with everything, he took a deep breath "As hell. What if we don't find her...or what if we do and she's changed"

Natasha put her hand on his back and gave him a light shake to make him look at her, she smiled softly "She'll still be your mom. You were her world"

"We're going to look the same age, what if she gets freaked"

"You're overthinking it. I knew Peggy Carter the teacher. But you knew Peggy Carter the mother, and she sounds pretty damn amazing" Natasha dropped her hand from his back and smiled "So let's get a move on and get looking"

Noah zipped up her bag and threw it to her with a small smirk. Winding her for a moment, Natasha then rolled her eyes.

"Of course you had to ruin the moment. You always get like that when it get's sentimental"

"I just don't want you falling in love with me" Noah dryly teased as he picked up his bag and began to follow her out.

England and hopefully Peggy. Here they come. 


	12. Chapter 12

Noah wasn’t kidding, it was pretty chilly. Hampstead was nice. One was the nicest villages in England actually. Noah visited a few times. They used to go all the time, Evelyn, Daniel and himself. Each time on Peggy’s birthday. Course Peggy wasn’t there at the time, she was still being held in The Red Room or as prisoner by Hydra. Then when Daniel died Noah stopped going even though Evelyn wanted him to carry the tradition on. Without him or Daniel it wasn’t the same so she never went again. 

The three of them went on to split up. Steve covered the west of the town, Natasha at the east and Noah went up North. They would meet up at the centre and go down South together. Each of them had a photo of Peggy, asking if she looked familiar or even if they knew her. Considering Peggy always wanted to live here again, Noah knew her well enough to know that she would have thought about it. As did Steve.

When they lay in bed some nights, they played truth. And when Steve asked her where she would go back to anywhere in the world, she said right here. She also said with him, and he told her that he would go with her wherever she went. He didn’t care where he went in the world as long as it was with her.

But things were going to be different now. Things were already different. Peggy had fallen in love with another man after Steve’s death. Which was understandable and something he wanted for her, something that he was glad she found.

Everywhere Noah went, he had zero to little luck. One or two thought that they might have seen her around but they couldn’t give him a solid confirmation, still it was a little bit of hope that she may be here. Soon enough he found himself in a cafe down the road of the pub he just went into.

It wasn’t too busy, so he walked right over to the counter. Where a man, looking in about his fifties was standing. And three young women, in their twenties began to stare at the man who was standing next to them.

“What can I get you, mate?”

“Erm. Actually I’m here to ask you something” before the man could ask what he was being asked, Noah took out the photo of Peggy. Put it on the counter and turned it to him, then going on to ask “Do you know this woman?”

The owner took hold of the picture, giving it a long hard look. Whilst he thought. One of the girls, a blonde pretty model type girl tilted her head to him “Why do you look so familiar? Have we met before?”

“Sorry no. I live in the states”

Then her friend piped up “I know! You’re Captain America’s son! We visited the museum of him in DC” she turned to the owner “Dad, this lad was in the Avengers and stopped that big fight in New York”

The owner looked up to Noah “Oh yeah. Saw you on the news over here. You did good, kid”

“Thanks. But we’re not here to talk about the things I get up to in New York. Do you know this woman?”

The owner sighed and shook his head “Can’t say I do”

“Are you sure? It’s really important. She’s my mother”

“Your mother?” he raised an eyebrow.

Noah rolled his eyes and nodded as he gently took the photo out of the owner's hand “Yeah. Long story. I’m sure if you google it, it’d all be there nowadays”

He shrugged and went to put the photo in the back pocket, before he did so. The blonde, who turned out to be the owner's daughter took hold of the photo in case she might have known her, as she did. Her second friend looked to him “So. Whilst you’re visiting this small town are you doing anything tonight?”

Noah looked to her and then thought over and over  _ ‘Shit. Shit. Think of something’ _

Despite his good looks, Noah never actually got approached by women. It wasn’t exactly something that he ever actually got involved in. But then again if there’s one thing he’s known his own life it’s that British ladies are ballsy. So Noah just said the first thing that came to his head “Sorry I’m spoken for”

_ ‘Okay. Not exactly the excuse that was initially thought but alright’ _

The girl groaned as the other said “Is it that Black Window? Is she the one you’re taken by?”

_ “ _ Black  _ Widow _ . And erm yeah that’s my girl so I’m busy tonight”

The owner’s daughter looked up “Shame. But to answer this ongoing search. I’m fairly certain I saw your  _ mum  _ at a corner shop across the village. If it wasn’t her then she may have a twin you never knew about”

Noah's heart began to race “Seriously?”

“Yeah. Brownie girl’s honour”

Noah took the photo from her with a confused look on her face, causing her to roll her eyes and say “It’s the British version of  _ Scout’s  _ honour I believe?”

“Right, well thanks-”

“There you are!” Natasha came rushing in the cafe, taking hold of his arm “I’ve been looking all over, come one” she tugged on his arm and glanced to the girl’s. Noticing that two of them looked like they wanted to put a bullet in her head.

Noah put on an overly happy smile and nodded as he slid his hand in her’s which caused her to raise an eyebrow to him “Come on, babe” he said. Which made her other eyebrow go up.

As they turned, Natasha whispered “What the-”

“If you love me in anyway you’ll just go with it”

Natasha looked over her shoulder again to the girls and then whispered as she turned back “Why are they looking at me like they want me dead?”

“They hate you” Noah bluntly muttered as he opened the door. Once they got out, they took their hands away. Natasha smirked and then said as she put her hands in her pockets “Y’know I think you enjoy me pretending to be your girlfriend a little too much”

“Yeah okay keep flattering yourself. Although why do you think we’re best friends? With you looking like  _ that  _ it ain’t exactly hard. Won’t hurt my rep”

Natasha briefly laughed and punched his arm. She then got back to being serious and said “Steve called and said that he spoke to a woman in a corner shop at his end and she knows Peggy”

“Corner shop?”

“Uh huh”

“That’s what that girl said” he then began to run, turning to Natasha and waving his hand “Come on!”

* * *

Noah soon went to the corner shop that Steve was at. Steve stood up from leaning against the wall and said “She comes into this store”

Noah rushed into the shop and walked over to the woman behind the counter “Hey you just talked to my..yeah and said that you know my mother”

“Lizzie? Sure do”

Natasha’s eyebrows pinched together “Lizzie?”

“Elizabeth” Noah and Steve said in unison, with Steve then adding on “Peggy’s middle name”

“God this woman is a genius” Natasha whispered.

“Do you by any chance knows where she lives?”

The woman seemed reserved, Noah sighed and laid his hands on the counter "Ma'am please. We have been searching in the freezing cold for hours. All we want is to bring her home she's been through a lot...please"

The woman saw how genuine and desperate he seemed, she then shrugged “I’d say the best place for you look in the house up the hill at the south of town. They’re pretty isolated, and Lizzie is a very isolated person. She’s lovely but incredibly quiet and lonely. Keeps herself to herself”

Noah nodded “So up the hill?”

“Yeah just keep walking straight down south and you’ll see it path up. It’s about a twenty minute walk”

“Thank you so much” Noah smiled. With Steve and Natasha giving them her thanks to then follow Noah out. As they began to walk. Steve, being the good person he is. Told them to go ahead as he helped an old woman with her car.

He’d certainly catch up with them before they reached the house anyway. Running fast was literally in his blood. So Noah and Natasha carried on walking up the path way.

This place was the best lead they have and hopefully she was here somewhere. There were a row of houses up north, it took walking up a countryside hill to get to them.

Natasha tucked her hands in her beige trench coat as the wind blew in her face. She looked down to her boots that were making a crunching noise as she stepped over the loose stone roads. Noah glanced to her, he pulled down his leather hood and sighed “Did I ever tell you i was sorry?”

Natasha looked up and to him “Sorry for what?”

“Shutting you out the way I did”

Natasha then let out a sigh of her own and shrugged “You don’t need to be sorry. I deserved it”

“No you didn’t” Noah shook his head, he stopped in his treks and held his arm out, putting his hand on hers to stop her from walking, which she did and then turned to him. Noah pulled his arm back in and put his hand in his leather jacket pocket, looking away from her for a moment as he began to say what was on his mind “I knew that what you were doing was for my own sake. I did, I knew that. But I was too stubborn and  _ hotheaded  _ to really listen. I mean Clint was right if you had told me when we first met then we wouldn’t have had the relationship we have now I sure as hell wouldn’t have traded that in for anything”

His eyes fell back onto hers, Natasha raised an eyebrow as she nodded “I know. But I understood why you were mad. I mean I know you’re a freaking hot head. You’re an idiot”

Noah let out a hitching laugh along with an amused grin as he briefly looked away from her. Natasha slapped his arm “But you’re my idiot, right?”

Noah rolled his eyes, yet he nodded “Right”

Natasha ran her fingers through her hair, she looked up the hill for a moment and gathered the thoughts she wanted to say, then turning back round to him “I’ve made mistakes Noah, we both have. This was just one of them that I made.  _ One  _ that I won’t make again, cause next time round I might not actually get another chance”

“Nat...it’s not supposed to be like that. You’re allowed to make mistakes. You’re only human...it’s just not meant to be like that”

“What’s it supposed to be like?”

Noah stared at her, deep into her piercing green eyes. He stared at them like he never had before. Watching her as she waited for an answer. Natasha tilted her head to him and raised her eyebrows to him. Noah hitched his breath. Not understanding how he had never thought about this until now. Noah walked closer to her, holding his hands up to cup her cheeks and pulled her face to him, pressing his lips firmly against hers. Natasha could feel the difference in this kiss than the other one. Natasha didn’t know how to react, but she knew how she wanted to, so she went with her instincts and wrapped her arms around his neck, he scooped her up around her waist and pulled her even closer. Her fingers ran through the back of his hair as their tongues brushed together.

She leaned forward as he slowly pulled away and touched his lips for a brief moment before pressing their foreheads together, Natasha gulped heavily and teased in a whisper “Are we being tracked? _ Public displays of affection make people very uncomfortable _ ”

Noah grumbled a small chuckle and shook his head “You can never be too sure”

Natasha lightly punched his chest and leaned her body back whilst still in his hold, she squinted her eyes to him “So this is new?”

“Yeah”

“We’ve just had a moment”

“A little one yeah” Noah whispered, squinting his eyes back at her.

Natasha stayed silent for a moment and then added “We should probably get moving” Noah smirked, he put his hands on her waist and gave her a lightly shake as he nodded “Right”

They both turned back around the right way and carried on walking up the hill, Natasha pulled him close and linked her arm in his. Which was nothing out of the ordinary to them. But now it felt like it had a deeper meaning.

Steve soon caught up with them. Noticing how they quickly took further steps apart when they heard him coming up behind them.

“All good?” Noah said.

“Yeah. Her granddaughter came over and asked me if I wanted to come in for tea” he lightly chuckled, Natasha snorted “I think that’s a code for sex in Britain”

Noah looked to her and raised an eyebrow to her, she looked at him and then simply stated “I had five people on separate occasions asking me to” she pulled her hands out of her pockets and used her fingers as air quotes “ _ Come in for tea _ ” she kept her eyes on him as she put her hands in her pockets and raised her eyebrows briefly as she added “And not all by guys”

Noah whistled a laugh and looked away from her. Steve nudged Natasha and muttered “How do you do that? He never laughs”

Noah rolled his eyes. Just knowing that she was going to flip her hair and brag. Which she did.

“She’s gonna tell the story” he muttered to himself.

“I’ll tell you the first time I did it”

“Here we go” he muttered again.

“It took literally a year”

_ April 1st 2005 _

_ Natasha was assigned on the same mission as Noah one day. It was just those two on this mission. Nick put Natasha to Noah’s hip practically all the time. As if she was some lost puppy that was his responsibility due to letting her live and taking her in. _

_ Natasha put her gun in her holster and looked to him as she rubbed her hands together “How long have you been doing this?” _

_ “Thirty eight years” _

_ Natasha raised an eyebrow “Are you...do you have-” _

_ “Something to slow my aging? Yes” _

_ “Me too. Where I was raised. They put something in me because they wanted me to work for them without getting older than twenty six” _

_ “Why’re you telling me this?” _

_ “Because you never talk to anyone so I know you’ll keep your mouth shut” Natasha shrugged as they walked down the headquarter stairs, she then shrugged “Either that or I’ll just threaten to kill you to ensure it” _

_ She heard him let out a brief breathless laugh as he shook his head. Natasha looked to him and muttered “Wow. Worked with you for bout a year now and I didn’t know you could do that human function” _

Noah rolled his eyes once again “So you got a small little laugh out of me, big deal”

“It’s more than Steve’s got out of you”

“Hey” Steve put his hands to his chest for a small moment before letting out an amused smirk and looked to the ground as they carried on walking up. They could see the the house and they were growing closer to it, when Noah got a closer look. He saw how the house was more like a cottage, cosy and small. It was something that she would go for.

But then again she probably wouldn’t exactly be living in that cottage through real estate. If she was living in there that is. Noah took a small deep breath and then felt Natasha rub his back and raise her eyebrows to him “You good?”

“Yeah I’m fine” Noah nodded, he looked back to the cottage and then looked to Steve “Listen if you don’t mind I...could you both just like stay out of sight...if it’s her I just...I want a minute to talk to her. No doubt she’s going to freak out”

Steve and Natasha looked to each other, she had no problem with it. Steve looked back up to Noah and then nodded “Yeah okay, Noah, okay” 

Noah gave them both a grateful smile and carried on walking.

_ “You’re getting big” Peggy said as Noah was on her shoulders, walking through her hometown with Daniel walking beside them pushing Evelyn’s pram, at first he thought he wouldn’t have been able to do something as simple as pushing his daughter's pram. But Howard made it sturdy enough so that he could lean down on it with his crutch being absent and still walk okay. They took another vacation. _

_ “Momma I’m six. Pops says I’m a growing man” _

_ “That because your dad is still trying to grow himself” _

_ “Hey!” Daniel laughed as he softly elbowed her. _

_ “Little man syndrome I believe they say” Peggy continued to tease. _

_ “I’m gonna get you for that later” Daniel nodded as he kept his eyes straight away, then shooting her a smirk before looking away. _

_ Peggy looked up to Noah, who’s head was resting on top of hers and whispered “See?” _

_ Noah giggled “Momma you’re mean” _

_ “I am nothing of the sort!” Peggy gasped, then letting out a small laugh as she heard Noah giggle. Noah looked at his surroundings. Being higher up on Peggy’s shoulders let’s him see the village a lot more “It’s pretty where you grew up momma, like you” _

_ Peggy softly smiled “Thank you, baby” _

_ “We should live here!” he exclaimed as he threw his arms in the air. Daniel and Peggy shared a sweet glance, he then looked up to Noah and said “Not that simple, son” _

_ Noah’s arms quickly came down as he frowned to them “Why?” _

_ “Because we have our jobs and friends in America. Can’t leave all that behind, kiddo” Daniel elaborated with Peggy then adding “If we could box up our friends and work and move here then we would” _

_ “Maybe we can if we get one big enough” _

_ Daniel raised his eyebrows briefly “He might be onto something” _

_ “Don’t start putting ideas into his head” Peggy whispered. She rubbed his legs and looked up to him “In a dream world maybe” _

Noah sighed out a small smile and muttered under his breath “In a dream world…”

They soon came to the broken wooden gate and walked down the pathway of the house. Stopping at the front door, Steve and Natasha did as was requested and stepped aside beside the door, out of the way so that Noah could get the minute that he asked for.

Natasha softly smile and nodded “We’re right here”

Noah shot her a grateful smile and looked to Steve who was also giving him a reassuring look. Noah nodded to him and then took a deep breath as he looked back to the door, he gulped heavily. He felt deep in his bones that on the other side of this door was his mother. He couldn’t explain it, he just felt it.

Noah took his shaking hand out of his pocket and then knocked on the door, quick and load. As if getting the knock over with was the hardest part of this whole thing.

They only had to wait a few seconds but it was painfully long in their heads. Soon there was an unlocking click and the door slowly opened. The sun shone inside the house that was filled with darkness, at first all he saw were her eyes.

But they were  _ her  _ eyes.

Noah’s heart began beating out of his chest so fast. Peggy pulled the door all the way back, looking at him up and down for a moment and the look in his eyes. If it weren’t what she was led to believe all those years ago she thought he could be her little boy. But that was impossible in her head.

She let out a soft and confused smile. No one ever comes up here to her door.

“May I help you?”

The sound of her voice made Steve just want to jump out of the shadows and take her in his arms and never let her go. He let out a silent hitching breath and pressed his back harder against the fall whilst Natasha kept her eyes on Noah, seeing how nervous and how overwhelmed he now was, now with it being his mother standing in front of him...and she literally had no idea.

Noah stared at her for a moment, so stuck on what to say. The word that came out of his mouth was something that he hadn’t said in over fifty years to her “Mom…”

Peggy stared at him hard, her eyebrows pinched together, she shook her head “I’m sorry?”

Noah softly smile and took a deep breath “It’s me” 


	13. Chapter 13

It was silent for a good long few moments. Noah stayed silent, he just waited for her to say something whilst Peggy continued to stare. 

Suddenly, Peggy grabbed hold of his jacket and yanked him in the house. Slamming the door, she pushed him against the wall, grabbed the gun she kept in the draw by the door and aimed it at him “Who sent you?”

“What-”

“My son is dead. He was murdered and anyone who knew about him is either long dead or are with Hydra...is that who you’re with? Did they send you?”

“No! I swear! It’s me, it’s Noah”

“Don’t say his name” she snarled. Noah went to take hold of her hands but she quickly pulled away and kept the gun pointed to him “Tell me what you want because believe you me I have no reason in my life to care about pulling this trigger”

Noah slowly put his hands up “Okay, try to hear me. Hydra lied to you when they sent someone to kill us...they lied to try and make you into one of them. I’m right here. So is Evie”

Peggy’s breath hitched at the sound of her daughter's name, but not only that. _Evie_ is the nickname that Noah had given to her ever since she was born. But still, it didn’t convince her that Noah was really Noah. These days, people find out everything about anyone. Every last detail of the Carter family could have been founded out.

Noah continued “The reason I look so young is because of the serum from my father...Steve Rogers”

With tears forming in her eyes, Peggy took her head “Stop it”

“Look at my eyes. You always said that you’d know them anywhere” Noah said with a light tearful chuckle “And now I know why you always loved looking into my eyes. Because you saw him”

“I said stop!”

“Momma please!” Noah pleaded.

Peggy felt a lump get bigger in her throat. Everything was telling her to not believe any of this. Even though  _ momma  _ was the one thing that Noah always called her.

On the outside, at first Natasha told Steve to wait, but when she heard Noah then shout another plea “Just put the gun down and listen  _ please _ ” that's when she slapped Steve get in there.

Steve quickly ran to his son’s aid and open the door, running into the house and coming to a sudden halt now that he was face to face with her. Peggy eyes went to him as soon as the door burst open, her breath got caught in her throat. Her eyes filled up even more.

Steve gulped heavily and then whispered softly “Peggy…”

“Oh my god” she whispered, dropping the gun to the floor. Steve walked to her, he pushed the gun to the side. Peggy shook her head and put her hand to his chest, half of her expecting that it was going to go right through him because she swore to herself that he was a ghost or some kind of illusion. But no, he was there and he was solid as a rock.

Steve cupped her face for a brief moment as she muttered “That’s impossible”

“Listen to me. The fact that I am alive proves to you that not everything has been as it seems. I mean...you’re supposed to be dead too…” Steve stroked her cheeks with his thumbs before dropping them down to her arms “And the person who had lead this search for you...has been our son”

Peggy’s bottom lip wobbled slightly as she looked to Noah. Her heart was trying to tell her that it was him, a mother never forgets. But from what she has been through and her mental state, her mind didn’t let her think such a thing.

Noah just looked at her from behind Steve with pure hope that she would hold him in her arms again, Peggy stared at him and began to cry “Is it really you?”

Noah slowly walked towards her “You know it is”

Peggy nodded, stepping away from Steve and crying as she held her arms out to him “I do. I know it’s you, baby”

Noah rushed into her arms and tight wrapped her arms around her. Peggy’s arms flew around his neck and she cradled his head. She began to sob hard “Oh god baby I thought you were dead. I’m so sorry I should have held you the moment I saw you but my head was compromising my heart”

“It’s okay” Noah said in a muffled tone as his face buried into the crook of her neck “You’re here now” Noah then couldn't help but _sob_ into his mother's neck. Peggy cradled his head "Baby" 

Noah took in a deep shaky breath to keep his composure but still stayed clutched to her. 

“How is this happening?” Peggy said as she pulled back and cupped his face, just touching him to try and make sure that he is real too. Because she still felt like she was dreaming.

Noah glanced to Steve and said “Well, Hydra never came for us. They knew that if they attempted an assassination that it could lead to them going tailed and finding you. They just wanted you to believe it”

Peggy let out a deep breath “I’m relieved that they did that now that I think about it. You were all unharmed?”

“Yeah I promise you we’re all fine...well dad he...he passed”

Peggy took another deep breath and nodded “Yes I...I’ve grieved him for a long time” she understood and always thought even before Noah came here that if they were all alive now that Daniel would most likely be dead, hell if life went according to plan so would she. But at least she’d be with him again.

“And Evelyn is he-”

“She’s good, mom you’d be proud of the things she has done” Noah smiled.

Peggy smiled with tears still streaming down her cheeks, she took in a shaky breath to try and gather her composure, she closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against his “I’ve missed you, son”

“I’ve missed you too momma” Noah took her back in his arms and added before closing his eyes to embrace the moment in the more “More than I can put into words”

Steve smiled softly as he watched the pair tightly embrace. Noah, deep down was still the lost little boy who needed his mother. Most people back when he was young pegged him as a  _ momma’s boy  _ during high school when he went through his manic depression stage. But he was, any boy is really, every boy needs their mother. Especially if they were taken away from them when they were only ten years old. He hadn’t had the stability and life that most kids have, that most kids take for granted.

Peggy gulped heavily and slowly turned her head to look at Steve as she still rested against Noah’s chest, staring at him right in the eyes. Still wondering how he came to be standing in front of her. What was his explanation for coming here? Before she had the chance to speak the door opened again Natasha popped her head in.

It had been silent for a while now that she didn’t know whether to be relived or more worried.

“Sorry I…” Natasha looked to Peggy and soon came lost for words. This woman tried to save her life, she compromised her position to try and help her. Without Peggy there’s no Noah. A life she can’t imagine. And she’d like to think that in a way, Peggy’s sacrifice ultimately led her to Noah.

Peggy pinched her eyebrows together, suddenly with the thought  _ ‘Do I know this one too?’ _

Noah saw the confused look on her way and pulled away ever so slightly, he looked to Natasha and waved his hand to her “This is Natasha Romanoff. But I think you know her as Natalia Alianovna Romanova”

Peggy raised her eyebrows as her eyes slightly widened “N-Natalia?”

“Hello Peggy” Natasha softly smiled as she shut the door. Peggy looked back to Noah, feeling very overwhelmed by all of these faces coming back into her life. Noah looked around and said “You got a table in this cottage, momma? Got a feeling we’ll have to sit down and talk about all of this”

Peggy looked at them all and then nodded, dropping her hand from his jacket and lightly patting his stomach before weakly waving her hand for them to follow them through into the kitchen.

* * *

They all sat around her wooden round in her kitchen as Noah stood by the kettle as it boiled.

Peggy looked to Steve and muttered weakly “How are you here?”

“The serum. When I crashed and even when I was a-”

“Capsicle” Noah muttered as he turned to the now boiled kettle. He wish he could take credit for coming up with that but it was all Tony. Steve glanced to him and nodded “Right. Thank you for that. Anyway the serum kept my heart going. And it was just luck that I was found I guess”

Peggy nodded and then let out a small smile “Well I’m so glad to see you. It’s been so long”

“Too long” Steve smiled.

Noah looked up at them as he poured the water into the cups. He saw the way Steve was looking at her, still in love. Which was no surprise and he thought that he’d be okay with whatever may or may not happen. But now that it’s in front of him, he can’t help but hate the fact that Peggy could be with anyone except from Daniel. Then again, he can’t see how she was looking at him, he didn’t know if her eyes were full of love like his.

Which they weren’t, not exactly, they were warm and kind. And she knew that she would always love him. But things were very much different since she last saw him, she went on to marry and she had a family. Things were  _ much  _ different.

Noah, the skilled man he was brought all four cups of tea over to the table before sitting down beside Peggy and Natasha, Peggy wrapped her hands around her cup. She didn’t even know there was more than one cup lying around this place, it was abandoned when she found it and just moved herself in, in all the years she had lived her she never bothered to make it look nice or even check in cupboards thoroughly. What was the point? She had no one to have tea with.

Peggy took her eyes to Natasha and asked “So, what is your story? How did you get out?”

Natasha looked down to her cup for a moment and glanced to Noah before saying “I just ran. I ran right into your boy here and well” she shrugged as a subtle smile painted across her face “He saved my life”

Peggy looked at Noah, who was smiling to Natasha before taking his eyes back her and shrugging “Natasha got on our radar in a bad way, I was sent to _take care of her_. I made a different call”

Peggy raised her eyebrows “That would have been a risky call to make”

Noah nodded “It was but she was actually kind of worth it”

Peggy smiled as she looked to Natasha and then nodded “I’m sure she was”

Peggy sat back and subtly looked to Steve, who nodded at her in confirming she was right about what she was thinking about those two. 

Noah then asked Peggy what was her story, how was it that she had survived Hydra. 

“It was over a decade ago now. They came to the cell that they kept me in and said that they were moving me to a base where they could experiment on me...so they put me on a boat. Handcuffed of course, when we were at a good distance I knocked the one who didn’t have the keys overboard, grabbed the gun from the side and killed the one that did. Took the keys, dumped his body in the sea and England so happened to be the closest country on the map so...I just kept heading North. Got here and found this abandoned cottage” She took a deep breath and shrugged “The rest is history” she took a sip of her tea and let out another breath.

Noah put his hand over hers “I wish you could have known that we were alive. Would’ve been a whole lot easier”

“You can say that again” Peggy said with a light laugh, she looked to Noah “What’s Evelyn doing?”

Noah looked at her for a moment, trying to gather on what to say so she wouldn’t yell at him “Well she doesn’t know that...well she doesn’t know about any of this. I didn’t want to tell her anything till I had something solid...and what’s more solid than you in the flesh” he finished off his sentence with a light laugh.

She had to give him that, it was a smart move “That’s quite a good idea, actually, I wouldn’t want you getting your sisters hopes up if I was in fact dead. Is she married?”

“Yeah, he’s a great guy. Got kids too so I guess you’re a grandma”

Peggy choked on her tea a little bit and then whispered “Jesus…”

Steve let out a small laugh “A lot to take in right?”

Peggy looked to him, her eyes lingering onto his as she slowly nodded and mumbled as she looked back down to the table “Yeah…”  

Peggy sat back in her chair and ran her fingers through her hair. She was still trying to take all of this in. Knowing that her family was still alive and well, it was almost unfair that Daniel wasn't here. That he wasn't given this life with them again. 

_ 1947  _ _   
_ _   
_ _ "Peggy wait. Look I'm sorry-"  _ _   
_ _   
_ _ Peggy turned to him in the empty SSR office after running out of his chief office "You don't have to apologise I kissed you"  _ _   
_ _   
_ _ Daniel stared at her, silent for a moment and then asked "Can I ask why that is so wrong?" _ _   
_ _   
_ _ Peggy shook her head and let out an airy breath, she shook her head as she looked away from him. Wrong wasn't the correct word for kissing him. She took her eyes back to him "It's not wrong...but it's not ideal for me" _ _   
_ _   
_ _ Daniel raised an eyebrow "Ideal? Is this...is this about Steve?" _ _   
_ _   
_ _ "It used to be. It used to be about my mourning for Steve and about my son. But now it is purely about Noah. Daniel there is a reason I am alone, I can't get involved with someone without thinking about his life" _ _   
_ _   
_ _ Daniel looked at her, confused. His eyebrows pinched together before shaking his head "I don't under-" _ _   
_ _   
_ _ "When you were with me in New York you saw what the men in that office said about me. Using Noah as a...taunt for my relationship with Steve, the way I have been described as baggage" _ _   
_ _   
_ _ "And did you ever take notice how I never, not for one second thought or said that about you. I argued with the guys that said that. Peggy when I think of you, believe me. The word I do not think of is baggage"  _ _   
_ _   
_ _ Peggy found herself tearing up, embarrassed by doing so she wiped away her tear off her cheek. Once again she shook her head and spoke in a dry whisper "Believe me, Daniel. You don't want this" _ _   
_ _   
_ _ "This? You mean you and Noah. Peggy if I didn't want any of this, then when Violet said that I was in love with you I would have denied it...but I didn't. And Noah? I adore that kid, you know that"  _ _   
_ _   
_ _ She did. Daniel had always been good with Noah. And Noah seemed to take a shine to him as well. Daniel took a step towards her, gently taking hold of her hand "Nothing would make me happier than taking care of you and Noah. Please give us a chance"  _ _   
_ _   
_ _ Peggy took a light gulp and looked into his eyes, taking her free hand and softly placing it on his cheek. She let out a small shaken breath and then nodded "Okay"  _ _   
_ _   
_ _ "Yeah?" Daniel said with an uncontrollable smile. Peggy nodded again, she leaned forward and kissed him once again.  _   
  
Steve watched her twirl her wedding ring round on her finger "How did you manage to keep that?" he asked, hardly without even thinking about how personal it was. He was just used to asking her whatever was on his mind.   
  
Peggy looked at him. Feeling unsettled a little bit about discussion her wedding ring. Especially when having the history with him of him proposing to her the night before his so called death. She cleared her throat and stated simply "I put my wedding and engagement ring in my boot the night I was taken. They never even noticed nor questioned it. I suppose jewellery wasn't in their best interest"    
  
Peggy looked up into his eyes and felt her stomach flip. She knew that as supportive as he was trying to be to both herself and Noah. It crushed that he didn't get to play the husband and father. Which he almost did.   
  
_ 1945  _ _   
_ _   
_ _ Steve took his lips away from her for a brief moment to catch his breath. Being their last night before their big fight with Schmidt, he deemed it only appropriate that he snuck into her room to spend the night with her. Neither of them wanted to think the worst for what would come tomorrow. But it was still in the back of their minds that one of them could get seriously hurt and possibly killed, they tried to keep positive. But still, the thought was always going to be there. _ _   
_ _   
_ _ Steve buried his face in her neck, savouring every moment of her, the softness of her hair, her smell, how soft her skin was. He kissed her neck to then bring his head up to kiss her cheek, forehead, eyes, nose and finally her lips. He gently cupped her face, hearing her let out a soft moan.  _ _   
_ _   
_ _ Peggy gripped to his waist and whispered "Stay in my bed tonight"  _ _   
_ _   
_ _ "Try and stop me" Steve whispered back in a light chuckle before kissing her again. Then picking her up and carrying her to bed, both kneeling on the bed whilst their lips still remained attached. Steve pulled back again and muttered "I gotta ask you somethin' I just need to ask you now" _ _   
_ _   
_ _ Peggy stared at him, deep in his eyes. She knew what was coming. Steve took a breath "Peggy. I love you-" _ _   
_ _   
_ _ "Yes" she quickly answered. _ _   
_ _   
_ _ Steve let out a small laugh "You didn't even let me ask-" _ _   
_ _   
_ _ "Yes, my darling, yes" Peggy whispered, cupping his face and adding "God, I love you"  _ _   
_ __   
Peggy was brought out of her daydream by Noah giving her a small nudge "Mom"   
  
"Sorry, love, what did you say?"   
  
"I said do you think you'd become a head of SHIELD again?"    
  
Peggy looked down to her hands "Oh I don't know about that, love" 

Natasha shrugged and then nodded to her “By all accounts they have no right to turn you away, you are still technically a Director of SHIELD”

Peggy would have to think about that, she had been out of the game for so long. She no longer knew if it was for her. Then again, that’s because she had lost all of her hope, and now she had it back. Everything she needed for her faith to be restored she now had back.

“You can do it” Noah nodded to give her as much encouragement as he could “Come back with us and...and we’ll start fresh”

Peggy smiled and nodded “That sounds wonderful love, it really does...it’s all I’ve ever wanted for fifty four years”

“Going on fifty five by now” Noah raised his eyebrows to her. Peggy smiled to him, she looked around the crummy little cottage that has been the roof over her head for all these years and was happy to say goodbye to it. Something she never thought she’d do. Peggy was no longer living after she was kidnapped and even escaped. She was just existing. Almost just waiting for death, because she felt her time must come eventually, god can’t be that cruel. But now she see’s she had been kept alive for exactly this moment.

And she has never been more thankful. 

* * *

After more time taken to swap tales and for Noah to be open about their little investigation on finding her. Noah finally asked her if she was ready to come home, and of course she was. 

There wasn’t that much to pack, she had very little. So they were out that door fast. As they all walked back down that pathway together, Peggy and Noah were trailing behind Steve and Natasha, and he couldn’t help but ask “How are you feeling about Steve?”

Peggy looked to him and knew there was no point in trying to deny the love that they once shared for each other, she could just tell by the look in his eyes that he knew everything. Peggy took in a deep breath and lightly scratched her forehead “I am feeling overwhelmed by all of this. About you-”

“Uh huh but I’m not asking about me” Noah muttered.

Peggy looked to him, he was quick and sharp. Like her. And although she was the one being questioned, she was rather impressed “Noah... I’m happy. Seeing him is part of it. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to jump into his arms. He was friend friend above anything else, okay?”

Noah nodded and took her bag in his hands for her “Okay”

“I still love your dad” Peggy whispered, rubbing his back.

She didn’t say that just to reassure him, of course she still loved Daniel. But she knew that things would get complicated with Steve, it’d only be a matter of time before her feelings that she had pushed down come back to bite her. But she’d try to keep it off for as long as possible, for her sake along with her children’s.

“How was your dad after…”

Noah looked to her and then cleared his throat as he looked down to the floor “He erm. He had a rough time. I guess I didn’t make things easier for him”

“What do you mean, love?”

Noah sighed and then admitted “I won’t lie, momma, I went down a bad path after I lost you. I got angry at the world and when I was old enough to do certain things I did them” he let out a shaky breath and looked at her slightly shocked face, he shrugged “I let you down, mom”

Peggy stopped them in their treks and shook her head softly “No matter what you did. You would never and will never let me down. I’m proud of you, darling. Even more so by knowing you dragged yourself out of the gutter”

Peggy cupped his cheeks and smiled “I love you,  _ kiddo _ ”

Noah let out a small amused grin and muttered “It was dad always called me that”

“Well I’m calling it now” Peggy smiled as she kissed his forehead, then crossing her arms and saying as they carried on walking down the hill “I think he’d be happy someone is carrying it on”

“I’m sure he will be”

Tears then began to form in her eyes as she asked in a weak whisper “How did he die?”

Noah sighed deeply through his nostrils and shook his head “Momma please don’t ask me that”

“Noah please, I have been wondering what happened to the three of you for so long now...I just need the truth for closure”

Noah ran the palm of his hand down his mouth and then said “He was only fifty two, he was at work...we both were I was there”

_ 15th September 1972 _

_ Noah walked into SHIELD headquarters. As soon as he did, Jack ran over to him and sighed as he slapped his shoulder “Do me a favour, would you bud? Please go and knock some sense into your old man” _

_ “Why what’s he doing?” _

_ “Says he may have a new lead” Jack muttered, raising his eyebrows to him and then sighed “You have to sit him down and say something, it’s not healthy you gotta see that” _

_ “Yeah I do. I’ve tried talking to him, Uncle J” _

_ “Try again” _

_ Noah ran his fingers through his hair and groaned. Daniel was still determined to find his wife even after all these years, and no one could really blame him. He couldn’t even think about moving on. She was the absolute light of his life. Peggy Carter never failed to be insanely loved by the people she meets. _

_ Noah patted Jack’s arm and made his way into Daniel’s office, with two cups of coffee in his hands. He pushed the door open with is back and turned back around to see Daniel pacing up and down the room. Noah let out a silent sigh and tried to sound as happy as he could “Hey pops” _

_ Daniel looked to him, it was only up until that moment that he even noticed someone was standing there “Hey, kiddo” _

_ “Got us some coffee’s...though it looks like you need something to stop the pacing” _

_ “You need to hear what I’ve got next. She might be-” _

_ Suddenly, Daniel’s eyes widened, the veins in his neck stuck out as if he was holding his breath. But he wasn’t he simply couldn’t breathe. His hand flew and clutched to his chest over his heart and dropped to the floor. _

_ Noah dropped the cups and ran straight over, kneeling to him “Dad? Dad! What’s going on, what’s wrong?” _

_ Daniel couldn’t speak. His heart attack was too strong that he couldn’t even think over the pain.  Noah shouted behind him for someone to get help and when he turned his head back around, he saw how Daniel’s eyes began to drop. It was as if everything went in slow motion, the shaking of his head as he took hold of Daniel in his arms, how he couldn’t even hear himself yell “No!” but my god he was yelling it. _

Noah wiped his tears and said “They said there was nothing I could have done. It was just too big of an attack to recover from”

Peggy rubbed her lips together, tasting the salt from her tears that streamed down her cheeks before wiping them away and then hearing him say “When I started this. This whole thing in looking for you. It made me wonder...made me wonder if he was actually onto something. It’s stuck with me ever since”

“The element of wonder always sticks I suppose” Peggy weakly muttered through her cry. It hurt her, knowing that he died so violently. When she had Noah in front of her, she still prepared for the fact that Daniel would have passed. But still then she thought it would have at least been a peaceful sleep. But a huge heart attack, that was something she dreaded to hear about her husband. She didn’t know if it was worse or better that Noah was there with him, it would have been worse for Noah but better for Daniel by having not just anyone, but his son by his side during his last moments on this earth.

Noah looked to her and saw the looked on her face, he put his arm over her shoulder and rested his head against hers “I’m sorry, mom”

Peggy gave him a watery smiled and put her arm around him before leaning her head against him “Me too” 

They made their way through the town and to the jet hanger. Noah and Natasha headed in first. Steve turned to Peggy and softly smiled to her “You ready to life your life again?”

“Are you? Can’t imagine you’ve had much to actually come to grips with everything since you practically haven’t slept from what Noah has told me”

“I guess” Steve nodded as he looked to the ground, then taking his eyes to her again and finally admitted to her “I’ve missed you, Pegs”

She knew that he wanted to kiss her, she could tell. She could always tell. From the first moment he glanced to her lips in that car in 1942. She knew. Peggy rubbed her lips together and tightly smiled to him “I’ve missed you too”

Natasha sat in the pilot seat and looked to Noah “Think they’re rekindling”

Noah looked to her and scoffed “You’re not funny”

“Not trying to be” Natasha mumbled.

Peggy didn’t know what to do or say to him. It had never been awkward between the two of them,  _ ever _ . But with the facts being that since they have seen each other Peggy had been married and had children. It was now awkward because so much had happened. Steve couldn’t help but notice how even though she aged ten years before she was made to age slowly, she still hadn’t aged a day since he last saw her.

  
Not knowing what to exactly say more than do, she just pulled him close and hugged him tightly. Getting on her tip toes to wrap her arms around his neck, she closed her eyes as she rested on his shoulder and felt him rub her back. After a few seconds later, she pulled back and just walked into the jet. With him then following her.


	14. Chapter 14

_ “This is not the first time I’ve had to call you in about Noah as I am sure you’re aware”  _

_ Peggy sighed as she sat back in the principal's chair, looking to her eight year old son, who was extremely quiet. She nodded and muttered “I am” _

_ Peggy took her eyes back to the Principal as she sighed and rested her hands on her desk, she looked to Noah and spoke calmly “Noah, I don’t know how many times I have to tell you that violence is never the answer” _

_ “Yes I don’t know how many times I’ve have to tell this either” Peggy added as she looked back to Noah, who still remained quiet. Peggy sighed “What exactly happened?” _

_ Noah looked down to his hands and mumbled “Got angry” _

_ Peggy looked to the Principal with an eyebrow raised, asking for her to elaborate “Ronnie seemed to have been teasing Noah again about you since he knows that pushes his buttons and this time Noah thought it best to...throw a chair at him from across the room” _

_ Peggy sighed and closed her eyes as she looked away and shook her head “Well” she cleared her throat and raised her eyebrows as she opened her eyes again “That’s a new one” _

_ “I didn’t mean to” _

_ “You didn’t mean to pick up a chair and launch it?” Peggy said “Is that what you’re telling me?” _

_ “Kinda” _

_ “Kinda, okay” Peggy nodded in a mutter, she scratched her forehead and sighed again as she looked back to the Principal “I am sorry that this happened. I will talk to him about this” _

_ “I appreciate that Mrs Sousa. But if this happens again we’ll have to take action within the school, there's only so much that can be tolerated” _

_ “Yes and Noah understands that” she looked to her son “Don’t you?” _

_ Again, he said nothing and just nodded. _

_ When they got outside, Noah looked up to Peggy as they walked and finally said something to her “Momma are you mad at me?” _

_ Peggy stopped and looked down to him “Noah, I’m tired. I’m tired of having to come in your school for ten minutes at least twice a week because you have reacted badly to whatever it is those boys say. I’ve told you before they say it because they know you’ll get angry, you have a temper Noah” _

_ “Do not!” _

_ Peggy raised her eyebrows and looked to him, he had just made her point. Noah sighed and muttered “Sorry” _

_ “It’s alright” Peggy ran her fingers through his hair and carried on walking  with him following herm “But we might have to try and see if there’s a way to stop you getting so angry” _

_ “I’m okay when you’re with me” _

_ Peggy stopped again and looked to him, she lowered herself down to his level, she took hold of his hands and softly sighed “Love, that’s kind and it makes me happy that you’re calm and at your happiest when with me...but I’m not going to be here forever. And aside from that, I can’t be with you all the time. When you get older, you can’t hit people or throw chairs at them because as an adult you would get in big police trouble…” she didn’t want to scare him or anything, he just needed to be aware. Peggy placed her hand on his cheek for a moment and whispered “I just want to be safe” _

_ “I know…” _

_ Peggy nodded and stood up again, she took hold of his hand “Come on, Daddy is expecting us at the diner for dinner” _

_ “Am I going to get in trouble from dad?” _

_ “No, because I’ll tell him that I’ve dealt with it. As a punishment you’re going to have to give up your comic books for a week. Understood?” _

_ “No Captain America?! For a wee-” _

_ “I can make it two?”  Peggy said whilst smiling on the inside.  _

_ Noah sighed and quickly shut up “Fine” _

_ Noah leaned his body against Peggy’s and thought about what she said about not being with him all the time, he squeezed her hand then said “You will be with me forever, momma, I know it” _

Noah lightly shook Peggy, who had fallen asleep on their journey back about an hour ago “Momma” he whispered. Peggy’s eyes slowly opened, she looked to him and her heart raced again. It was going to take some getting used to seeing her son alive and well in front of her. Not to mention he was grown up now.

“We’re here”

She stretched in her chair before unbuckling her belt and standing up with Noah pulling her up by the hand, he smiled to her. Peggy patted his arm and they walked out. Natasha and Steve had already gotten out. Steve had hold of Peggy’s bag for her. Peggy stepped down and out of the jet, she looked around her and saw the view of Washington DC from the hanger being all open planned, she then noticed she was on a roof, Peggy tucked the strand of hair that was blowing in her face behind her ear and then turned to Noah “Where are we?”

“SHIELD headquarters. I borrow the jet, I gotta return it” he lightly laughed “Plus. Director Fury said he’d want to see you when I brought you back, if I brought you back. Kinda gotta do what he says lately, I’ve broken a few rules lately”

Peggy muttered a laugh “It’s like when you were eight all over again”

Noah huffed a small laugh, he let her have that one. He guided her through the base, he went round the more secret way instead of walking passed everybody and have them staring at the long dead Director walking the SHIELD halls once again.

Natasha had raced ahead to let Nick know that they had found her and more importantly she was here. She waited by Nick’s office door, with that kiss on her mind. Knowing that it was different gave her butterflies but she didn’t know whether it was down to being secretly happy or being anxious about where it would lead her. 

Steve caught up with her before Noah and Peggy did, he raised his eyebrows to her and asked “You told him?”

Natasha crossed her arms and nodded. Steve looked to her “You okay?”

“I’m fine” Natasha shrugged, then turning her head as she saw Noah and Peggy walking over to them, she opened the office door and nodded to it “He’s expecting you”

Noah smiled to her and touched her arm as he passed her with Peggy behind. Nick stood from his chair and walked on the other side of his desk, holding out his hand for her to shake “Director Carter, it’s an honour”

Peggy tightly smiled and shook his hand. Nick looked to Noah and said as he looked back to her “I have to say. I never thought that I’d get the chance to shake your hand, even when Noah started this little investigation”

“So you’re a cynic?” Peggy raised her eyebrows, hearing her son, former student and former flame let out a stiff laugh. Nick briefly raised his eyebrows as he let an amused smirk slip out “Maybe. How’re you finding the world?”

“I didn’t die, Director”

Nick looked to her. He couldn’t help but like the witt and fire she had. It certainly showed why Noah is the way he is, in a good way of course. Hew looked to Steve over her shoulder and nodded “Course. That’d be Rogers”

“Yes, well, we were both shocked about that one” Peggy muttered as she looked down at her hands and subtly looking behind to him, he was the only one who caught her and just looked right back at her before she looked away when Nick speaks again “I can’t ignore who you are, Director Carter. You were founder of this organisation. With you there is none of this. It would be expected for me to ask you if you would return as acting Director of SHIELD”

Peggy raised an eyebrow “And where would that leave you?”

“Well you and Stark were both running Directors I believe”

Peggy folded her arms “I knew Howard for a long time, I trusted him”

Nick looked to Noah “Well would your son’s approval count for something”

“My son’s approval would count for everything” Peggy stated with a simple shrug, then turning to him. Noah looked from Nick to Peggy and nodded to her with a soft smile. Peggy turned back to Nick “Although it does mean everything to me, would it be possible for me to take time to think about it. I would like to spend time with my children before any of this”

Nick paused and then looked at the three behind her before taking his eyes back to Peggy, he shrugged and nodded “Take as long as you need. I just wanted to settle some ground on the proposal SHIELD is offering”

“That’s good of you” Peggy nodded before slowly turning back around. She glanced to Steve before looking to Noah and smiling “Are you ready, love?”

“Yeah” Noah nodded in a whisper, following her out along with Natasha and Steve behind them.

* * *

It was pretty late by the time they had reached the apartments. Peggy was of course going to stay with Noah, it’d be a while before she’d get enough money to have a place of her own. And she certainly wasn’t in a hurry or being hurried to find one any time soon. 

“So you live next door?” Peggy asked Steve as she walked up the stairs behind him, he looked to her, smiled and then nodded “Yeah I do”

“So we’ll be seeing a lot of each other”

“Hope so” Steve said in a mumble, seeing her faintly smile in the corner of his eyes. Noah stopped in front of the door beside and unlocked it “Okay here we are”

Natasha put her hand on Noah’s back and said “You know what it’s late. I’ll let you three catch up and talk through things”

Noah looked to her and muttered “No I want you here”

She knew that he was trying to involve her as much as possible given the fact that she did have a history with Peggy. And she appreciated it. But she also knew that they needed to talk, just the three of them. Natasha shook her head and shrugged “It’s fine they’ll be other nights. You three do need to talk through some things”

“But-”

“ _ Noah _ ”

Noah sighed under his breath and shut up and Peggy walked over to Natasha and put her hand on her arm “You’re welcome to stay”

Natasha glanced to Noah who she saw was just staring at him with his eyebrows up before looking to Steve and talking to him. Natasha smiled as she looked back to Peggy and nodded “I know, thank you but it’s just erm…”

Peggy knew what she was trying to say and nodded as she said in a soft voice “Thank you”

Natasha smiled “Anytime”

“I’m glad he has you, that you two found each other. I never would have imagined it would happen. And it’s reassuring and lovely to see that out of everything, there’s still someone who makes him happen”

Natasha felt like if she said one more nice thing that she was actually going to blush. Peggy surprised her by pulling her in for a tight hug, patting her back before rubbing it “I’m glad you got your life back”

“You too” Natasha whispered. She pulled away and gave her a smile before Peggy walked into Noah’s apartment, Noah then came over to her again and rested against the door frame, looking at her up and down for a moment and then back in her eyes “You sur-”

“Yes”

“But you can-”

“I know” Natasha smiled “Let it be and spend time with your parents”

Noah smiled to her, there was a new atmosphere between the two of them. They could both feel it, but they ignored it. Noah smiled again as he whispered “Come here” he pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her neck as she closed her eyes and did the same. Lightly rocking side to side, Noah lifted his head up and kissed the side of her head gently to then whisper “Thank you for everything you do for me”

Natasha felt herself get butterflies in her stomach, she let out a breathless smile and pulled back ever so slightly to look at him, still gripped onto his arms she looked at his chest for a brief moment before looking back to his eyes and saying as she shook her head “I love ya, Carter”

“I love ya too, Romanoff” Noah said with a faint smile and whisper “Walk safe” 

Natasha gave him a quick amused smirk, he watched her walk down the stairs before shutting the apartment door and turning to see Peggy and Steve sat facing each other, Steve was on the arm chair that was to the right of the couch that Peggy was sat on. They still seemed nervous and awkward even after these few hours. Noah cleared his throat as he sat beside Peggy on the couch “You alright, love”

“Course I am”

“You seemed very keen on Natasha staying. Something I should know?”

Noah let out a small laugh and shook his head “No, mom-”

“It looks like there should be”

Noah rubbed his legs as he tried to wriggle out of the interrogation as quick as possible and shook his head to her “There’s not”

Peggy raised an eyebrow to him and then shrugged “Alright”

Noah rubbed the palm of his hands together and said after clearing his throat “Okay so. Tomorrow. We head out for New York, to see Evie”

Peggy felt an outburst of butterflies come out in her stomach, mixed with excitement and nerves. She rubbed her eyes with her palms and nodded as she crossed her arms, looking to him “Are you going to tell her before hand?”

“No” he said with a light laugh “No if I told her something like this over the phone she’d have a fit. Trust me, it’d be better to just go”

“Whatever you think's best” Peggy nodded, Noah tilted his head to her “Are you okay?”

Peggy remained silent for a moment and then said “It’s just knowing that...well she would barely remember me”

“Momma-”

“No she. She lived her life practically without me”

Noah leaned forward, glancing to Steve who remained silent. He put his hand on her back for a moment “You think she won’t love you or something?”

Peggy remained quiet. She heard Steve then sigh and shake his head “Peg, she’s always loved you?”

“Have you met her?”

“No. But I’ve met you” He looked down to his hands and muttered as he leaned back in his chair “It’s pretty impossible not to love you”

Peggy looked to him, almost not knowing what to say in response. She just let out a smile and then took a deep breath as she thought back to her daughter, keeping her eyes locked on the floor she asked “What’s she like now?”

“She’s still bossy if that’s what you’re wondering. The rest...how bout you see for yourself”

Peggy nodded and sat back on the couch, taking in a deep breath to try and calm her nerves. Noah patted her knee and said “Lemme just straighten out the room for ya”

“Noah it’s fine”

But he was already up and gone “You can sleep in my room”

“Don’t be absurd. I am perfectly fine in your spare room”

Noah peeped his head around from the corner and shook his head to her “Wasn’t asking, ma”

Peggy sighed as he shot her a winning grin before walking back down the hall, Peggy looked to Steve as she heard him say with a light laugh “I don’t know what you expected, he’s you in male form”

“Believe me. There’s traits of you in there, I’ve seen them” Peggy said, softly smiling to him. Steve returned the same expression. Peggy rubbed her lips together as she stared at him and asked “How are you, Steve? Truly”

“Right now? I couldn’t be happier”

“And before?”

Steve sighed and shrugged “It’s been tough, he doesn’t open up easy. It’s been like trying to knock down a concrete wall with a spoon” he paused as he listened to her laugh, with a smile on his face he then continued “But I feel like I’m getting somewhere...I still can’t believe it”

“Imagine my surprise…” Peggy muttered. Then smirking to him. Steve, with hesitation at first took hold of her hand. Which she had no problem with. This was a big deal for both of them to come to grips with. She constantly wanted to touch him to just make sure he wasn’t some ghost or hallucination. 

Steve rubbed her hand with his thumb as she stared down at it, then looking back into her eyes “I’m so glad that you’re okay”

Peggy put her hand on his cheek and scanned his face, saying in a laugh, as if she still couldn’t believe it “And I’m so glad that you are sat in front of me right now...it’s all I’ve ever wanted”

God, he could have kissed her right there and then. In his head, it was only a few months back that he was kissing her, watching her sleep whilst she was in bed. But for her, it had been  _ much  _ longer since those times. Steve then said in a whisper “I better get going, let you get some sleep. You’ve got another big day tomorrow”

“Okay” Peggy whispered back, nodding as she looked down at their still attached hands. Steve leaned forward and pressed his lips against her forehead. Which gave her shivers down her entire body. With his lips still lightly touching her forehead he said “Goodnight, Peggy”

“Goodnight” Peggy said, running her hand down his arm as he stood up properly and headed to the door, looking down the hallway “Noah. I’m heading back now”

Noah quickly got out the room and jogged down the hall, holding his hand out and shaking it with Steve’s “Thanks for everything”

“Yeah well, right back at you” Steve said with a faint smile. Noah remained still for a moment and then pulled him in for a brief pat on the back, he cleared his throat as he soon pulled away “Night”

“Goodnight”

Noah watched him close the door and then looked to Peggy, seeing how overwhelmed she looked again, and how she began to quietly cry, he quickly rushed over to her “Momma? Hey, hey” He put his arm around her and pulled her close, rubbing her arm “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong. Nothing it’s just…” Peggy leaned back up and nodded her head to the door “Seeing Steve. It’s....”

“Bringing up feelings?”

Peggy looked at him, not knowing whether having this conversation with her son was the best thing to do. She shrugged and shook her head, then reassuring him by saying “I love your father”

“I know you do” Noah whispered “But you loved Steve before that. He was the love of your life, ma...and if I can accept that then you need to aswell”

“I accepted it in 1942” she looked to him and gave him a tearful smile “But I accepted your father as it in 1948”

Noah smiled to her and rubbed her back as he brought his hands back together “All I’m saying is. Whatever your feeling. Just know that I nor anyone else would undermine what you feel now for what you felt for dad. Besides this is all hypothetical” Noah shrugged.

“Of course it is” Peggy agreed. Noah smiled to her again and the pointed to the bedroom “All done for you”

“Honest-”

“- _ To god _ if you say you’re fine in that spare bedroom one more time  _ I’m  _ going to cry” Peggy smirked and then rolled her eyes to him. Ruffling his hair before kissing his cheek, gripping to his chin. Which is something Natasha often does. Peggy did what she did to Steve and scanned his face. She couldn't help but be proud of her work “You turned out a good looking, didn’t you”

Noah couldn’t help but laugh “Ma-”

“Explains why Natalia is smitting”

“Okay it’s Natasha now and you’re clearly delusional from being tired so go get some sleep”

Peggy dropped her hand from his chin and whispered “You do understand that after all these years I am still the parent?”

Noah shrugged “Yeah well”

She was tired, so she was going only because she  _ chose  _ to. She put her forehead against his for a moment and said “I love you, my baby”

“I love you too, momma” he gave her a quick kiss and then sat back as she stood up and let go of his hand as she said “Goodnight”

“Night night” Noah said as she walked down the hall and into the bedroom. He left her some pajamas on the bed, they were Natasha’s for when she stays over here some nights when they were up late on a case or just wanted a movie night. When Peggy saw them she couldn’t help but laugh and mutter to say herself as she picked them up “Yeah becaus _ e just friends _ do this”

Noah sat on his couch for a moment and just tried to grasp what had happened today. He had finally got her mother back, he had finally proven everyone who doubted him wrong. After all these years. His family was back together, he just wished Daniel could still be here with them to make it whole. But it wasn’t just getting Peggy back that he couldn’t believe, of course that was a huge part of all of this. It was the biggest part. But something that was playing in the back of his head was  _ that  _ kiss. He couldn't get it out of his head and quite frankly. He didn't want to.

He certainly was expecting to do it. But he was glad that he did, which was confusing to him. Noah always knew he loved Natasha but he just thought it was friendship, but now after that kiss, every time he thought of her or saw her looking at him he got butterflies in his stomach. Which is not something you get about a girl you just love as a friend. And then he wondered what she was thinking about all of this, was she as confused as he was? Was she freaked out? Or did she think of it as some kind of mistake and wants to pretend like it never happened? He didn’t know, he wasn’t that good in reading her when it came to a love life, because she’s never really had one. Which he always find mind blowing. The main thing being. Well, you’ve seen her. Doesn’t take a genius to know why he was amazed by the lack of suitors coming her way.

_ “So this is new?” _

_ “Yeah” _

_ “We’ve just had a moment” _

_ “A little bit yeah” _

Noah scratched the back of his head and let out a yawn. He stretched and cracked his back before standing up and getting to the spare bedroom. He took of his shirt and grabbed hold of his sweat pants. Climbing into bed, he looked up to the sky, pressed the palm of his hands together and whispered “Thank you” before lying back, turning of his light and closing his eyes.  


	15. Chapter 15

The next morning, Noah and Peggy got up early. It was in their DNA to do so, neither of them could just lie in bed. Well, Peggy could have when Steve and Daniel were lay in bed beside her. Not at the same time of course. But these past fifty odd years she couldn’t stay in an isolated bed.

Peggy walked out of her room to find Noah already having the kettle on, it just made her think about ever since he could walk and have a common sense of his own, he would always go downstairs bright and early, and put the kettle on for her by the time she is up for work. Daniel didn’t like tea, Noah just shrugged at him when he told him that and said ‘sorry but I can’t help you then’ and Peggy laughed all the way to work.

“You sleep alright?” Noah asked as he walked over to the table and put two slices of toast in front of her, along with butter and jam. Peggy nodded and laughed “I’m hardly going to complain about any of this now am I?”

“Touche” Noah nodded, sitting down beside her. Not long after they sat down for breakfast, there was a knock at his door. Noah rubbed his hands together to get rid of the toast crumbs and jogged over to the door, he opened it up to Natasha standing in front of him with a bag in her hand “Nat-”

“Hold this for me” Natasha asked, already pushing it against his stomach and giving him no choice. Noah took hold of the bag and turned to her as she walked over to the table, said her good mornings to Peggy and took a bite out of his toast.

“I’ll make you some if you-”

“No it’s fine” Natasha shook her head as she poured herself a cup of coffee. Peggy couldn’t help notice that Natasha knew where everything was. Literally everything. Noah put her bag on the couch and looked to her as he sat down “S’going on Nat? What’s with the bag, you gotta crash again?”

“No. I’m heading to New York. Since you guys are going I was hoping”

  
“Of course” Peggy nodded. Noah then asked “What’re you going for?”

“Oh you haven’t been told? Tony. He’s restructured Stark tower. Now it’s Avengers tower. Wants us to move in. Or at least make it a second home for us when we’re needed in New York”

“He’s done it already? It’s been a few months”

“He’s a Stark” Natasha shrugged. Peggy then looked to Noah, who looked back to her and just nodded “Yeah. Uncle Howard had a son”

“He...what when?”

“1970. He got married too”

“You’re _kidding_!”

Noah laughed and shook his head, then looking back to Natasha who cleared her throat and said as he pointed to Peggy with her cup in her hand “So when I said catch up-”

“Yeah we were tired” Noah yawned as he stretched in his chair “Anyway what about the tower”

“Oh right. Yeah its built so he wants us to come and take a look at it”

“Me too?”

Natasha raised an eyebrow to him “Erm yeah. You’re on the team”

Noah rolled his eyes and then groaned “We’ve got family stuff”

Natasha shrugged and muttered “He is kinda family to you, being godfather and all”

It was that sentence that made Peggy choke on her damn tea. Noah sighed as he rubbed and patted her back to try and help her through the coughing, giving Natasha an unamused look as she just shrugged. Noah looked to Peggy and said “Yeah I erm...Howard though it’d be nice if I was his godparent. Give me responsibility and that shi...rubbish”

“Nice save, love” Peggy nodded to him before standing up and walking over to the sink, putting the cup in it and then turning to him “We can always go afterwards” she looked to Natasha “Does it matter what time?”

Natasha shrugged and then shook her head “We’re gonna be there all day. Steve too”

“Oh” Peggy nodded, quickly looking away and moving around. Natasha smirked and raised her eyebrows at Noah with her awkwardness. Which he chose to just ignore. He wasn’t ready for any of her little jokes, at least not yet.

So Natasha swiftly passed it and asked “Time you thinking about heading out?”

“Soon as we’re ready” Noah shrugged. Natasha then looked to Peggy and said “How’re you feeling?”

“About seeing the daughter I haven’t see in fifty four years” she looked to Natasha and said with a soft smile “How would you feel?”

“Fair point”

Noah looked to Peggy and saw how nervous and fidgety she was being. The only time he can remember her being like this is when Daniel was away on business for over a week and they left on a bit of a tiff, she was pacing the living room like crazy, nervous to see him and how things were going to be. But as soon as he walked through that door, he scooped her up in his arms. Which just proves she has a habit of overthinking things.

“Momma. It’s going to be okay”

“I know” Peggy said with an anxious smile, she ran her fingers through her hair and then said “I’m going to get in the shower. The get changed”

Noah gave her a node and a smile as she walked past him, putting her hand on his head as she did so. Noah watched her for a moment and then looked to Natasha, who was also looking at Peggy before looking to him and asking in a quiet tone “She alright?”

“She’s still overwhelmed I guess. I’ve had longer to process it”

Natasha nodded as she understood, then sitting down on the other side of the table, facing him. There was still a certain atmosphere and for once in their six running years of friendship, there was a moment of silence. Noah was looking down at his cup for a moment, not knowing whether to look at her or not because he felt like if he looked into her eyes he wasn’t going to be able to stop which would lead to the questions about ‘us’ which wasn’t a hot topic to discuss given his mother could now walk out at any point and find out everything. Which she does anyway but he was going to try and delay her as much as possible.

“So is Steve coming with us too?” Noah asked.

“I guess. Tony called us all”

  
“How come he didn’t call me?”

“He was going to but I told him about Peggy so he thought he’d just let you guys be”

Noah let out a small chuckle and nodded as he muttered “Well that was nice of him”

“There was a time when you two used to get on. Hell there was a time where you looked out for him”

Noah sighed and then shrugged as he looked up to her “Guess that’s when he was younger than me”

“He still is”

Noah frowned “You know what I mean”

Natasha let out a self inflicted amused smirk to him and then nodded. Natasha obviously wasn’t there when the two of them were close, it was way before her time here. In the 70s and 80s really, then when Tony grew up and became more and more like how say, Howard was when he was a teenager. It was hard for Noah to play to cool godfather when Tony never found anything cool or felt like he needed a godfather, and after Howard and Maria died. He may aswell have been a stranger. But before all that, before all that growing up and death shit happened. Tony would love to go round and see Noah, to play with him. And like Howard intended, it did give Noah a reason to stay on the straight and narrow and it even took his mind off of how damned his life used to feel.

Exactly six minutes later, Steve knocked and opened the front door. When he stepped in the apartment, Peggy stepped out of the bathroom with just a towel wrapped around her. In mid conversation with Noah he glanced to her, his mind not fully processing what he had just seen. And when he did he quickly looked back to her. Peggy stood there and looked at him, feeling like she was a deer in headlights or something. Steve wanted to look at her up and down, but he didn’t want to make her feel uncomfortable. So he just gave her a faint, awkward smile which she then returned before quickly going into the bedroom.

Steve bowed his head for a moment and cleared his throat before going into the kitchen and sitting with Noah and Natasha. He too was going to New York.

Peggy walked out to the end of the hall and looked into the kitchen. Watching them. Watching Noah most of all, aside from the overwhelming joy, it was weird seeing him like this. Grown up. Last time she was with him, he was ten and barely in touch with what the world could really be like, and now he was one of the most important and respected agents of SHIELD that there was. He wasn’t that little boy anymore who she had to lay clothes out on the bed for him every morning. Who she no longer had to remind how important it was to eat all of his vegetables. Everything was so different now. She had missed so much of his life.

Noah rose from his chair, laughing at whatever it was that Natasha said and saw Peggy stood there, he looked to her oddly and said “How long have you been standing there?”

  
She shrugged “Not that long”

  
He squinted at her and put his hands on her arms “Are you sure you’re alright? You seem a little freaked”

“The last time I saw you, you were to the height of my waist and now you’re taller than me. It’s just something I need to soak in”

He understood. She hadn’t changed for him at all, but he had changed a whole lot for her. But hell, she was going to be in for a bigger adjustment issue when she was her daughter, because although she doesn’t look sixty going on sixty one. It’s a huge change from looking like a five year old. And she was trying to prepare herself for that as much as she could.

As Noah then took himself to the showers, Peggy went back into the kitchen and asked “What’s Tony like?”

Natasha summed it all up by saying “He’s kind of a jackass but one that you like”

“So he’s like his father?”

  
Natasha shrugged whilst Steve nodded. Although he and Tony had more clashes than he ever had with Howard. But Peggy knew Howard just fine, and that was exactly what he was like. Well up until he went off the rails but that piece of information can be talked about later.

“Hey is it true that Noah once hid in the trunk of your car one night when you were going out on a mission”

Peggy let out an airy laugh and nodded, although it wasn’t funny at the time. At all.

_10th March 1956_

_It was getting dark. Peggy and Daniel were on their way back from a lead they had on their new investigation. It was a dead end. He looked to her and smirked “Got plans for us tonight”_

_“Oh really?” Peggy laughed “As soon as those kiddies are out the house, you just jump straight to it?”_

_“They’d hardly turn down a sleepover at cool Uncle Howard’s with all that tech flying around”_

_Peggy raised her eyebrows and looked back to the road, she had to give it to him. He was right by that. And it was rare that they had the house to themselves, so she too was excited for getting home with him. Daniel put his hand in hers and kissed the back of her hand before saying “Howard say they’re okay”_

_  
“Tucked up in bed now. Apparently Noah wasn’t feeling all too well and went in his room a tad earlier than Howard expected. I think he was disappointed that his play mate had buggered off”_

_“Surprised he hasn’t had a son yet for that reason alone”_

_“Well apparently Noah is a ‘special kind of kid’ as he puts it”_

_“He’s not wrong” Daniel muttered with a proud little smile. There was a sudden bump in the road from the wheel going over a small log that was left in the middle of the road. As it came back down abruptly, there was a bang and a groan from the back of the trunk. There was silence for a moment, Daniel looked to Peggy and mumbled “Did you just hea-”_

_“Yes” Peggy quickly answered. Sighing and then saying “Stop the car”_

_Daniel pulled the car to a halt. Peggy had a fair good idea on who the hell was in the back. She quickly got out, tucking on hand in her trench coat pocket before putting her other on the trunk and pulling it up. And there he was. Noah was there in a fetus position in the trunk, he looked up and saw the unamused face on his mother._

_“Are you bloody joking? Please tell me I’m imagining you”_

_Daniel then joined her and looked to the trunk “Oh jeez. Noah what the hell”_

_Peggy took hold of his arm and helped him out, she then tugged on his arm roughly to get him to face her and said in a stern and annoyed tone “What the hell are you doing in the boot of our car?”_

_“Yeah your Uncle said you went to bed”_

_“I told him I was going in my room and then put pillows underneath that duvet and sneaked out”_

_Peggy sighed as she looked away and put her palm to forehead. Howard literally fell for the oldest trick in the book. Noah then shrugged “Sorry. I just wanted to see what you guys get up to. It’s pretty cool-”_

_  
“It could of gotten you hurt or killed if somebody had seen you” Peggy said sharply, looking to Daniel in aid for him to say something. Daniel looked to Noah and nodded “Your mom’s right, son. It was pretty dangerous and stupid to do this”_

_“But if I’m going to be like you guys one day then I have to know what I’m letting myself in for, like you told me”_

_Daniel raised his eyebrows to him, a little stunned as he felt him getting daggers from Peggy beside him, he looked to her and near enough choked on his own words “N-No I. I didn’t mean it like that I just meant metaphorically” he looked to Noah and repeated “Metaphorically”_

_“You did not make that clear” Noah shook his head. Peggy sighed with her hands on her hips, she looked to Daniel once more before motioning her hand to the car “Get in the back”_

_“Am I grounded?”_

_“Yes” Peggy quickly answered him as she made her way over to her side of the door, hearing him sigh and mutter “Great”_

_Noah wasn’t exactly always the going outdoors type. He had friends, three close friends who lived on his street but the main thing he was bummed about was because being grounded meant that being grounded meant he was going to be allowed to go to SHIELD and hang out with them or Jack or Howard. That was really his ideal playtime._

_Dreading to even ask, he went ahead anyway and asked “How-”_

_“A week”_

_“A week!”_

_Peggy looked at him over her shoulder with her eyebrow raised. Knowing that her reply would be what it always would be if he reacted like that. Noah sunk back in his seat and muttered “No I don’t want you to make it two”_

_Peggy looked to Daniel and they both exchanged a smirk. Noah then sighed again “So am I coming home with you”_

_  
Daniel laughed “Oh no you’re going back to Uncle Howard’s. Your mom and I have some filing to go through”_

_“Should I be concerned how well you can lie?” Peggy teased in a whispered. Which just caused him to laugh and then carry on with the drive home._

Peggy shook her head with an amused smirk “I can laugh at it now but...god I could have wrung his neck. I’m surprised he even told you that, he hated that story”

“Oh he didn’t. Evelyn did, when Daniel told her”

“You and Eve have met?”

Natasha nodded “Yeah she’s great, I see her when she comes and visits him. Noah always says how she is just like you, and I always silently agreed”

“So I take it that you kept me being your teacher a secret?”

Natasha sighed and then nodded “Thought it be best considering we all thought you were...well...y’know”

  
“Yes I do. I’d think that too”

Natasha was glad about that. She was glad that Peggy wasn’t angry with her or showed any indication of disappointment in her. She was understanding and was clearly as great as Noah always said she was.  
When Noah was showered and dressed. They decided to go in a car than a jet. There was only so much flying that they could take, sometimes a good old fashioned road trip to New York was a nice feeling. They took Noah’s car. Natasha loved the damn thing and would jump in any excuse to have a drive in it.

Her car was pretty and fast sure, but a Land Rover Defender was something she preferred any day. Maybe it was what came with it. Or who. Natasha and Steve got in the back as Peggy rode shot gun whilst Noah was the driver. Noah’s car was never filled with silence, even when he was by himself. He didn’t talk to himself, he wasn’t crazy. It was the music that filled the gap of silence. Since Noah has literally lived through every era of the greatest music ever made. He had a wide genre. So he and Natasha decided to play a few songs from every iconic era to show Steve and Peggy the developing world.

Music had just gotten shit to put it in the nicest way possible and it was shown.

First off Noah showed them the fifties, now Peggy knew the fifties cause she was there for more than half of it before she was taken but Steve wasn’t. And the best way to describe the fifties was Elvis Presley. Natasha had the hots for him and Noah loved his voice so it worked. Imagine their roadtrips. Good job they had good singing voices.

60s, well the Bee Gees and The Beatles covered that. 70s, who better than Abba? 80s he put on a mix from Michael Jackson to Whitney Houston. 90s there was of course Prince and Celine Dion. Going into the noughties he put on some Beyonce and Ne-Yo. And in this decade. Well he’d rather not think about music in this decade but he put on the people he tolerates which were Adele and John Legend.

After the education lesson, he just put the music on shuffle. Noah and Natasha both looked to Steve and Peggy who were stuck on words. Steve opened his mouth and said “Well they...they were”

  
“Ended up being very different from what we were used to” Peggy finished off with Steve chuckling “Exactly”

“Believe me, he chose very carefully and put the best artist for the music nowadays. Majority of it is awful and it’s not even singing anymore”

“Music died with Elvis” Noah said.

“With Michael” Natasha fought back, Noah shook his head and put his hand up to her “We aren’t having this fight again”

“I liked the woman who sang about a heart going on” Peggy said, looking over her shoulder to Natasha who clarified for her “Celine Dion. It was for the film based on the sinking of the Titanic. It’s a good song”

“Yes it is” Peggy nodded, looking down at her hands and thinking in her head ‘It’s a very relatable song’ she put her head against the rest and looked out to the window. Feeling Noah pat her hand “We’ll visit pops whilst we’re here”

“Visit…” Peggy weakly raised her eyebrows as she quickly caught on “Oh I see...yes that would be nice”

“Uncle Jack is there too, bit further down than dad”

“How old was Jack? When he past?”

Noah thought for a moment and then said “78. Had this clot in his brain or something that he didn’t know about, went in his sleep. His wife woke up and-”

“He married?” Peggy said with a gasp, sounding far more surprised than she intended to. Noah laughed and nodded “Yeah you remember Candice? The girl who came to us-well you for help in 52?”

“Of course”

“That was the future Mrs Thompson. God knows how it happened, he just fell for her” Noah laughed, he then rubbed his lips together and said to her “He told me the truth”

Peggy looked back to him from looking out the window “Truth about what?”

“Truth about how he treated you at the beginning of you working at the office”

_15th September 1972_

_Noah sat in the waiting room chair, leaning forward to his knees, his hands clenched together and head bowed to the floor. He didn’t look up when the door opened and closed, he felt his shoulder get nudged and looked up to Jack holding out a cup of coffee “Drink somethin, bud” he requested._

_Noah took the cup in his hands and just stared down at it, Jack sat down beside him and asked “Evelyn on her way?”_

_  
“Said she’d hurry as quick as she can, be about twenty minutes from the base” Noah sighed and rubbed his forehead with his free hand “Can’t believe this is happening”_

_Jack clenched his jaw and tried to reassure him by saying “He’ll be alright” but he didn’t even know if even he himself believed that. The heart attack was pretty bad and when the paramedics came they didn’t exactly have hopeful looks on their faces._

_Noah looked to Jack “Thanks for being here. For always being here for my family”_

_Jack gave him a tight smile and then silently smiled as Noah looked away. Ever since Noah was little, he had Jack on some pedestal because he was big and tough. Noah never saw how much of a jackass he was towards his mother, the person he was the most protective over. When Noah was born, Jack went soft by how much the kid took to him. It gave him a sense of reality that the way he was treating Peggy was wrong. Jack shook his head and said “Noah I’m not as good of a man that you think I am”_

_“What’re you talking about. Mom and dad always said how much of a good man you are”_

_  
“I wasn’t always” Jack shook his head “You ever hear about the guys that used to give your mom hassle when she was pregnant with you” he looked to Noah. Noticing how his jaw clenched, just getting angry from imagining it. He nodded and grumbled “Yeah” before taking a sip of his coffee._

_Jack suddenly got a little nervous. Noah was bigger, stronger and wasn’t shy of kicking some ass no matter how much older or how well he knew someone. Jack cleared his throat and then said “Well...I...was one of those men”_

_Noah’s head snapped to him “You?”_

_“Yeah. I was awful to your mom. Said things that I am now ashamed of...I never got the chance to tell her how sorry I was, it just got swept under the rug”_

_Noah stayed in silence for a minute, Jack then leaned to Noah for a moment and said without turning his head to him “I am sorry”_

_Noah lightly hitched his breath and shrugged “Why’re you telling me this?”_

_Jack shrugged “I don’t know...just feeling like I oughta tell someone that I regret it. I’m aware you have a tendency for punching people who wrong your mother and I deserve it”_

_Noah sighed and looked away from Jack, then shaking his head and muttered “First off, now isn’t the place and err...second of all...it’s been what? Like twenty seven years since all that happened, and you two built your bridges since then, and you have been good to my family. So…”_

_“Thanks Noah”_

_“Don’t worry about it. The family forgives you”_

Peggy looked out the window again for a moment and mumbled “Wow…”

“Wow?”

Steve and Natasha, who had been listening in like hawks shifted their eyes to Peggy at the same time to wait for her answer, Peggy looked to him again and nodded “Yes wow. Jack thought the world of you, he wanted you to always think the best of him. I suppose I’m just surprised he would tell you such a thing”

“He felt guilty, ma”

“I was over it all by 47” she lightly laughed “In fact anything he used to say to me that was along those lines hardly bothered me”

“Still. I think he felt to be redeemed he had to be honest about everything”

She appreciated that. She appreciated Jack turning out the way he did. If someone had told her back in 45’ that Jack Thompson would have ended up looking after her boy and anymore family she had depending on her future, if he ended up taking care after she was gone, she’d tell them that they were crazy.

The city was soon in sight and it caused Peggy to lean forward in her chair and stare at it “Oh my word”

“You really didn’t get out much after you escape did you?” Natasha said as she rested her arm on the back of Noah’s chair “Like you didn’t seen pictures?”

“Years ago, when that awful business happened with the two large buildings. But it’s a far different thing seeing it in person”

“You’ve got a point there” Natasha said as she sat back in her seat “Sure you’ll get used to it”

Noah took a turn. Evelyn lived just outside the city. On the whole white picket fence side of town. The street was quiet and peaceful, there were a few kids playing on the street. Riding their bikes and stuff. Peggy smiled and said “It’s like when you were little”

Steve looked at the smile on Peggy’s face on the fond memories that she held and could help but feel envious, he wished that he could have been there. He respected and was grateful for Daniel being there to teach Noah how to ride a bike or play sports. But he wished that it was him. Which was only natural and even expected, but he made sure that he kept it to himself.

A few houses down and Noah pulled outside and looked to Peggy, who was staring at the house with such an anxious look “This is…”

  
“Yeah”

“Are you sure she’s in?”

“Yeah. She retired after the military so she won’t be at work. Plus it’s a saturday. She tends to stay home at on a saturday considering she has the house to herself cause her husband goes out with the guys from his golf club”

Peggy nodded as she tried to process all of the new found information that was being given to her about her daughter. Natasha leaned forward again and muttered “Hey, Steve and I are going to jet for a bit, just walk around the neighborhood or something, maybe chill out at the park and grab some food whilst you guys get through this. Give us a text when you want us back here”

Noah nodded and smiled as he briefly gazed into her eyes and whispered “Thank you” he then looked to Steve and gave him a grateful nod which exchanged the same words. Noah looked back to Peggy as he unbuckled his belt, ready to get out in order for Natasha and Steve to get out.

“Momma” he tried to get her back into reality, she quickly focused back to him, he raised his eyebrows to her and asked “You ready?”

Peggy looked back to the house and took a deep breath. She nodded and got out of the car.


	16. Chapter 16

As Steve and Natasha went for their walk to get out of Noah’s hair. Noah and Peggy walked down the drive, with his hands stuffed in his front pockets, he looked to her and saw the nervous look on her face and the fidgeting of her fingers. He didn’t say anything though, he had already told her that everything was going to be ten times that he was getting sick of him saying it. 

Noah cleared his throat and rubbed the palm of his hands together and took out the key to her house from his pocket. She has one to his too. Peggy put her hand on his arm and mumbled “Wait I…”

Noah stopped as he put the key in the lock and looked to her “You?”

Peggy took a deep breath and rubbed her forehead before nodding and dropped her hand from his arm “Nothing I’m quite alright now”

“You sure?”

“Yes”

Noah nodded and then proceeded to unlock the front door of the house, he looked to her and whispered “I’ll just go in first and do the talk, wait in the hall for a little bit? I just don’t think springing this-”

“Noah, it’s okay” Peggy said with a breathless smile as she rubbed his back. He was so determined to not try and upset or offend her in anyway. He knew how blunt he could sound sometimes so he was just being extra careful. But he forgets he had been extremely blunt ever since he was able to talk.

Noah nodded and looked back into the house, taking a step in with her behind him. Peggy remained in the hall beside the living room door. Noah spun the keys around his finger before putting them in his pocket “Hey sis?”

Evelyn came out of the kitchen, with flour all over her jeans from her wiping it off of her hands and smiling to him “Hey! Jesus this is a surprise, the hell are you doing here?”

“Well I erm...needed to see you” Noah scratched the back of his head, seeing how her face dropped to a very worried one, she walked over to him and quietly rambled “Are you okay? Is it Nat? Did you fight? Did you  _ cry _ ? Is it that dog that you feed that lives behind your building-is he dead-”

“Evie. Jeez calm down. I’m find. Nat and I did not fight and Buddy is still going strong”

Evelyn took a breath of relief and then raised her eyebrows to him, intending to tease “But you’ve cried?”

Noah sighed and said nothing, Evelyn then raised her eyebrows in a more softer way and put her hand to her heart “You’ve cried”

“Eve-”

“Why have you cried?”

Evelyn then slapped his arm as he didn’t speak and tried to smack it out of him. Noah rubbed his arm briefly and then let out another sigh “Okay. So. You’re going to freak out. Or be gobsmacked. Maybe both”

“Okay? Why _ y _ ?”

Noah crossed his arms and then said “I have someone here with me”

“Is it Steve?”

Noah shook his head “No-well he and Natasha are around here somewhere it’s just um, they wanted to give us space I just…” he gripped onto the back of his neck. Feeling like he was totally failing “This. It’ll explain why I’ve been distant lately”

Evelyn crossed her arms and said “Noah. I love you but  _ please  _ just cut to the chase”

Noah did as he was told, he walked out the room and looked to Peggy. He held out his hand and nodded to the living room as he whispered “Come on”

Peggy bit her lip nervously and then took hold of his hand, he led her out of the hall and into the living room. Peggy looked up, finally to capture the look of her daughter. Her soft brown hair that had a slight hint of grey peeking through, she used to dye it but now she hardly sees the point. Her eyes were so dark that it was as if Daniel was looking right back at her. Her skin was smooth and clear, hardly any wrinkles at all apart from the creases at her eyes. She grew up to be a beautiful woman. Which Peggy never doubted.

Peggy remained silent for a moment as she looked to Evelyn and saw the blood drain from her face, she was so stuck on what to say, her mouth was open to speak but nothing was coming out.

Peggy gulped heavily and finally said in a soft voice “Hello, love” 

Evelyn gaped at Noah for a moment, she took a small step backwards. Noah shook his head as he watched her gravitating towards her back living area “Ev…”

She ignored him and took herself to the back room, she was in total shock that she didn’t know what to do with herself.

“Ev!” Noah groaned and looked to Peggy, putting his hand on her back for a moment and then pointing over to the couch “Just sit down and let me talk to her”

Noah ran back to her and jumped in front of her “Okay I know this is-”

“Noah what the hell” Evelyn opened her eyes to him and spoke in a strained voice, then whispering “Who is sh-”

“You know who she is”

“You’re suggesting she is our mother?” Evelyn said as she pointed behind her to where Peggy was, then saying in a less friendly tone due to her emotions rising “Noah our mother is dead. Nothing is going to bring her back, this woman-”

“ _ Is _ her” Noah said, the cupped her face for a brief moment to catch her attention to the right focus and said calmly “Please just listen to me. I didn’t tell you this before. These past few months I’ve been looking for her, because Natasha came out with a secret she had been keeping from me which was that mom trained Natasha in the Red Room when she was young and mom tried to keep her safe and was taken away. They had given her something to slow her age, like the way I am. Over a decade ago she escaped and hid out in Hampstead which is where we found her-”

“We?”

“Yeah...Steve, Natasha and me”

Evelyn took a deep breath and looked away from him for a moment, then hearing him say “I know it sounds insane, but Steve was found to alive after all this time. Just shows that anything is possible...Ev she has been living on her own for so long”

“Why didn’t she come looking for us then?” Evelyn said in a crying whisper as she took her eyes back to her brother “We needed her”

“The people who had her captured made her believed that we were all dead. She didn’t think she had anything to go looking for...Evie...you look in her eyes and you knew it was true. Deep down you felt it”

Evelyn out her fingertips to her forehead as she pressed it down on them for a moment as she shut her eyes to try and stop herself from crying. Noah rubbed her arm up and down “Eve…” he whispered. Evelyn took a deep breath and looked up, gulping heavily and looking back to him “You’re sure?”

“As sure as you are feeling”

“We’ve got our mom back?” she cried.

Noah smiled and nodded “Yeah. Ev. Momma’s come home”

Evelyn suddenly turned and quickly made her way back into the living room, causing Peggy to shoot up and soon as she saw her daughter quickly walk towards her, as Evelyn began to cry and muttered weakly “I’m sorry”

Peggy ignored her attempted apology for walking off and whispered as she pulled her close “Come here, baby”

Evelyn sobbed as soon as she buried her face into Peggy’s neck “Oh god... _ mommy _ ”

Peggy held onto her tighter as tears streamed down her cheeks, rubbing her back like she used to do when she was a baby. 

_ Peggy lightly bounced her two month old daughter up and down in her nursery. She felt like she had been crying for about a year. It was moments like this where she was beginning to hate maternity leave, she only had a few more weeks of it left. She knows that she’ll hate being away from her when she has to go back to work but she won’t miss the crying. _

_ “Please, Eve stop crying” Peggy whispered in small plea, kissing her temple and continuing to bounce her up and down. _

_ Soon, the sound of a clicking crutch was heard coming up the stairs “Pegs?” _

_ “In here” _

_ Daniel pushed open the door to the nursery and smiled “There’s my girls” _

_ “Well one of your girls is debating on shipping off your other girl” Peggy said with a groan as she looked away from him for a moment. _

_ “Really? Evelyn knows how to fill out a shipping form?” _

_ Peggy shot him a look “You aren’t funny” _

_ “Come on. You used to laugh at my jokes” _

_ “They used to be funnier”  Peggy took her eyes back to Evelyn, she slowly began to settle more and more. Daniel walked in, behind Peggy and rested his head on her shoulder as he looked at their daughter and said “Mommy’s being grumpy” he lightly tickled Evelyn’s chin as _

_ Peggy then said back in a calm, passive aggressive tone “And daddy is annoying mummy” _

_ Daniel let out a small laugh and kissed her cheek “Don’t be cruel to me” he wrapped his arms around her and he put his crutch down and put his weight down on his good leg. He kissed her shoulder and whispered “Just because I can get her to stop crying” _

_ “Well clearly she is a daddy’s girl. So would you like to swap roles?” _

_ After a small silence Daniel muttered “Erm…” _

_ “Exactly, go to work” Peggy turned her head to him and gave him a quick kiss, finally cracking a smile to him. Daniel grabbed hold of his crutch and flashed a smile to his daughter before kissing Peggy again and grabbing his crutch, he walked over to the door and turned back around to her. _

_ “So when she starts crying again, you gonna call 911 for help or?” _

_ Peggy grabbed one of her plush toys and threw to him “Out!” _

_ Daniel quickly dodged and laughed at her “I brought you some lunch from the diner. I’ll see you later on, hon” _

_ Peggy looked to him, still rocking Evelyn softly back and forth, she rolled her eyes “Thank you. I love you” _

_ “I love you too. I’ll take Noah out for ice cream or something later with Evelyn so you can actually sleep” Daniel walked and down the hall and heard her call as he went down the stairs “I knew I married you for some reason” _

_ Peggy heard him chuckle, she looked back to Evelyn and kissed the top of her head. To then hear her begin to cry again. And for the first time she quietly cursed in front of her child. _

Peggy stroked her hair and whispered “Don’t cry, love”

“I promise you they are of joy” Evelyn sobbed. Peggy pulled back and smiled as she cupped her daughter’s face and wiped them away “Either way. I’ve always hated seeing you cry”

Evelyn looked at her, with her bottom lip wobbling again, she said in a watery laugh “Dad always said I cried for you a lot”

“A  _ lot _ ” Peggy said with a smile, then tears of her own began to form, putting her hand to Evelyn’s cheek and only managing to speak in a whisper “And I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for more of your life”

“It wasn’t your fault!” Evelyn shook her head and hugged her tightly, then whispered “We know it wasn’t your fault, momma”

Noah smiled as he just watched on. Seeing his mother and sister hugging each other and crying together. It was something he never thought he would see. And something Evelyn and Peggy never thought they’d feel. After a long moment in her daughter’s arms, she pulled ever so slightly away and motioned her had to Noah for him to come over to them. She put her hand on both of their cheeks. Scanning her children’s face again, she just wanting to capture and savour every moment that she had.

Trying to fight back her tears which was near to be insanely impossible. 

They all sat down, Peggy held onto Evelyn close, stroking her hair as Evelyn soon began to ramble on about her life like an excited little girl. She had missed out on walking through the door as a little girl, teenager and young lady with all the gossip she had for the day to tell her mother. So she had plenty stories of her life to tell her. Peggy could hardly believe that Evelyn went into the military. When she was little she was all about being a dancer, though she was just a little girl. Peggy at some point wanted to be a singer, then a knight. It was Michael’s fault, and as Evelyn explained it seemed it was Noah’s fault that she went down that path. He never went easy on her when play fighting.

Evelyn also came out to Peggy that though she was married to a man, her sexuality still stood as bisexual. She figured it out for herself that she was when she was at the age of twenty three. Which nowadays was considered quite late for both men and women, though now it is more accepted and Evelyn was nervous in having to deal with hate. She was also nervous at this moment in telling Peggy. But of course Peggy thought and said that it was wonderful. And it was, she was in fact honoured that her daughter was so open about it and was so secure in herself to share it.

Evelyn cracked a joke by saying “I think dad preferred it when I came home with a girl rather than a boy”

“I hardly find that surprising, he swore to me that he would be battering lads off with that crutch of his”

“He whacked me with it enough” Noah muttered with a small smirk “He tended to just poke you with it instead of talking to you”

Peggy nodded “He did that to me once...and once only let’s just say”

She watched as her children laughed and then took a moment to soak up and remember the man of the subject, Evelyn took a deep breath and said as her eyes filled up “He was an amazing father”

Peggy nodded as she continued to stroke Evelyn’s hair again “He was...from the get go, as soon as Noah came into his life full time I knew. And my god _you_ were the biggest daddy’s girl I had ever come across, even more than me”

Noah threw his head back and muttered “Jesus it was like hell having to wait for dad to come home so you’ll stop crying” Noah then laughed as he looked to Peggy and said “Cause that was the one thing you were bad at”

Peggy muttered a small laugh “Do you want embarrassing baby secrets to slip out to Natasha?”

Noah stared at her and soon remained silent. Peggy smirked and nodded. She thought so. Evelyn looked to Peggy and asked “Have you seen Steve?”

Peggy rubbed her lips together and then nodded “Yes, I’ve seen Steve”

“And?”

Peggy shrugged “And nothing. I am happy to see him alive and well. We haven’t really talked that much to be honest...I have been too focused in seeing my beautiful daughter again”

Evelyn smiled and damn near blushes. Peggy wasn’t just her mother but she was also a role model, someone that she never truly. She only really remembers the idea of her rather than actual solid memories. Peggy was such a big part of her life without even really getting to be there. Peggy didn’t want to talk about Steve with her children, not yet anyway. Not until she and Steve actually get to exchange more than three sentences. So instead she had another idea “I was thinking about...going to see your dad...if you would like to come”

Evelyn smiled softly, with tears still in her eyes. She nodded and said in a dry, cracked voice “Yes I would love to”

* * *

After a while, Noah got up and answered the phone to Natasha. To let her know that they were planning on going to the cemetery and that she and Steve should start heading back here now given that he is their ride. As he was talking, Evelyn looked to Peggy and whispered “Dad helped him in more ways imaginable. Dragged him from the gutter more often than not”

“Out of the gutter?” Peggy said with a worry in her voice.

Evelyn stared at her and then sighed “He didn’t tell you did he?...Noah went through a hard time, mom. After you…” she looked down at her hands, gulping heavily and then saying “He would get into fights just for the hell of it. To numb the pain he was feeling...he’d pick the fights to get beaten up. Any normal situation he would have died a fair few times but”

“Because of the serum he didn’t” Peggy muttered, feeling her eyes well up. She actually felt her heart ache, hearing that her son would put himself through that much pain. That he would most likely be dead right now if it wasn’t for the serum.

“Has he always been alone?” she whispered in a small cry. Evelyn sighed and shook her head “No. No he had a girlfriend. Lizzie she was called but she left him the minute he found out that he aged slowly. Couldn’t handle it”

A coward’s way out. Typical. That was just what he needed, Evelyn then added on by saying “Natasha is the only good thing he had in his life besides the little family he had in his life. Whatever their relationship, cause I don’t even think they know, but whatever it is and regardless on what it is. Apart from us he loves her more than anything in this world”

“That’s good” Peggy said softly with a warm smile growing on her face “It’s always good to have someone to talk to outside of your family, I wish I had gotten that when Steve...well, you know”

Evelyn tightly smile and nodded, she then took hold of Peggy’s hand. It felt surreal doing so, she stared at their linked hands, if anything she looked confused, the feeling she had in holding her mother’s hand. It was a feeling she never remembered. Peggy remembered though, she remembered every little detail about her daughter. What mother wouldn’t? Peggy put her other hand over hers and lightly rubbed it. Softly smiling and saying “I’m proud of you, darling, do you know that?”

Evelyn smiled brightly and then nodded “I do now”

Noah hung up the phone and made his way back over to them, smiling for a moment as he did as he saw the view in front of him, he then shook his phone in his hand and said “They’re on their way. Be bout fifteen minutes”

“So I will actually get to meet the man that the whole of America is buzzing about” Evelyn put her hand to her heart “Lucky girl that I am”

Noah mocked a smile to her and said “Just try not to embarrass yourself”

Peggy sat there in awe, never would she had guessed that she longed for her children to tease each other. But she had missed out on it with them growing up that actually seeing it was refreshing.

Those fifteen minutes in fact flew by and by the time they knew it. The doorbell went and Noah let Natasha and Steve in. Evelyn shot up as Natasha came through the door first and gave her a hug “Hey, gorgeous” Evelyn said as she wrapped her arms around her neck and said “Oh I’ve missed you”

“I’ve missed you!” Natasha smiled as she rubbed Evelyn’s back. Noah looked to Peggy and rolled his eyes. Peggy smirked to him, amused and her eyes then fell to Steve, who was looking at her with the same love in his eyes that she looked at back in the war. Peggy weakly smiled to him, and for a moment, he swore that she returned the same look in a mere glance. As Evelyn pulled away, she looked to Steve.

Which rang Noah’s cue “Evelyn this is Steve. Steve this is my sister Evelyn”

Steve smiled, suddenly feeling a little nervous. Also looking at Evelyn was pretty surreal, she was the image of Peggy. It must be weird, Peggy seeing what she is most likely to look at with old age through her  _ daughter _ . Steve stuck his hand out and softly smiled to her, as she took hold of his hand to shake, he nodded and smiled “Pleasure to meet you, Evelyn”

“You too. I’ve heard great things” Evelyn said, looking to Noah, to let him know that she was in fact mocking him. She takes her eyes back to Steve as he laughed and dropped his hand “Me too. About you that is”

Evelyn nodded and let out a small laugh at his awkward nature. Noah soon interrupted the moment. He slapped his car keys in Natasha’s hand and raised his eyebrow to her “Scratch it and you’re dead”

Natasha grinned and puckered her lips to him for a moment, making a kissy noise before walking over to the car with Steve following. She’d take Noah’s car and drive Steve to the Avenger’s tower whilst Peggy, Evelyn and Noah got in Evelyn’s car to the cemetery.

* * *

They went in their separate directions. It didn’t take long to get to the cemetery. When they did, the three of them stood in front of Daniel’s grave. Peggy’s breath got caught in her throat as she stared down at it. Noah looked to her and then to Evelyn, who caught eyes with him. He nodded as a signal to give her space. They visit Daniel whenever they can. Peggy deserved some alone time. Noah rubbed her back before taking Evelyn’s hand and moving away, they decided to go and pay a visit to Jack. On the way Peggy asked where Michael was buried but she was informed that he was cremated and his ashes were spread at the holiday lodge he visited with his wife.

When her children went away, Peggy crouched down to the level of the gravestone and stared at it all over, her eyes welled up straight away. She rubbed her lips together and let out a watery smile, putting her fingertips on the stone “Hello my love” she whispered. Covering her mouth to try and stop herself from becoming too emotional, she didn’t want to have a break down, though she doubts she would have one. Peggy has lived over forty years believing in his death. And the mark of it wasn’t far off either which made her heart ache, she wished he could have stayed in this world longer. 52 was such a young age nowadays.

But still, she had grieved. Mourned. Seeing the grave right in front of her however, was a feeling that still made her feel sick to her stomach. 

Peggy sniffled up her tears and gulped heavily through the lump in her throat, taking a deep shaken breath. She shook her head and mumbled in a blubbering voice “I think about the night you proposed to me often. Everyday...the way your hands were shaking” she then laughed “Failing to get your words out right I practically had to finish it for you” she laughed again as the memory spilt through her mind. She covered her eyes with the palm of her hands, letting out a few quiet sobs and then saying as she dropped them back down “We had ten years together...and with everything that has happened in my life. Ten years sounds so tiny now...but it wasn’t...we were real...and those ten years were the greatest ones of my life”

She put her hand back onto the grave and whispered “Thank you for raising our children to being good and honest people. I always told you that you were a good father to them both” she took in another deep breath and cried “I’m sorry I couldn’t have found my way back. I’m sorry that we weren’t able to find each other again sooner, with you by my side again...I suppose our lives were never supposed to be planned out that way...which makes me all the more grateful for the time we had together” she let out a watery smile as tears ran down her cheeks. Quickly wiping them away and pressing the palm of her hands together again.

Noah and Evelyn returned to her a few minutes more. When they did she was ready to leave. She had spent the last five minutes in pure silence, just praying and soaking in where she was to let it sink in even more. As said before, it was very surreal for her now that she had the grave right in front of her. When they came over to her, Peggy took another deep, composing breath and stood up.

“You alright, momma?” Noah asked in a quiet voice. Peggy brushed away the strands of hair from her face as she nodded and folded her arms up “Yes I’m...fine”

They could she wasn’t exactly one hundred percent, but seeing his grave and speaking to him had given her some kind of closure in a way. Peggy then asked in a mutter “Where’s Angie?” 

“Buried in a cemetery to the south of the city...by Broadway”

Peggy looked to Noah, he smiled and got all teary eyed himself as he nodded and said "Her career lasted for a lifetime”

Peggy let out a breathless smile. After living most of her Broadway life being an extra, by the time she reached thirty. She got a big role the show that made her was Anything Goes. She played Reno Sweeny, the sassy and confident star. From then on she was asked left right and centre from showrunners to get her to star. Which was music to Peggy’s ears. She remembered how proud she was seeing her on there when she could, it was even better hearing that her career carried on till she was too old _to_ carry on.

“We’ll visit her another day. But probably enough grave visiting today”

He was right about that one, visiting Daniel’s grave certainly made her feel emotionally drained, and there was so much crying one person could take in a day. Peggy nodded and smiled to them, taking hold of both of her children’s hands and walking past. As they did, they past Jack’s, they stopped for a little while. Then carried back to the car.

Peggy wasn’t able to take her eyes off of the cemetery the whole time they drove past it. Her eyes were locked to where his grave was, eventually though, you always have to let it go and look away. 


	17. Chapter 17

Evelyn dropped them outside of the Avengers tower, and Noah and Peggy both insisted that she’d come in with them. She saw Tony more times than Noah did lately so it’s not as if she’d be in a room full of strangers. So she went in with them. 

After getting through what felt like security check with Jarvis questioning everything. Something that also felt surreal, having a robotic voice sound like her old friend and have his name. He must have played a big part in Tony’s life for him to create a robotic version of the man. Natasha text him, telling them that they were on the fifteenth floor. They made their way up. The elevator doors opened to Natasha and Steve stood by Tony, Pepper, Bruce and Clint. Thor was  _ out of town _ right now.

As soon as Peggy’s eyes fell onto Tony, she knew full well who he was. It was as if she was looking at Howard all over again.

“You made it” Tony said boldy as they walked into the room. Evelyn walked ahead and gave him a hug as he briefly kiss her cheek before putting his arms around her “Hey  _ sis _ ” he dryly joked. Evelyn muttered a laugh and patted the back of his head. She pulled away and Tony looked to Noah and stuck out his hand “Noah. Good to see you again”

“Tony you too”

Tony looked over Noah’s shoulder “And what do we have here. Y’know Natasha and Steve told me but I didn’t quite believe it for some reason”

“Cause you’re a cynic” Noah said as he slid his hands into his pockets, he took a step to the side, allowing to Tony to get a well enough look at her. The famous Aunt that he never had the chance to meet. The woman of whom he had been told many stories of, unlike the stories about Steve, he actually liked the ones about her. Tony tilted his head to her and smiled, holding out his hand to shake “Director. It’s a pleasure. Tony Stark”

“You too, Tony. Please call me Peggy” she knew that she was gaping at him, and she knew that he had realised this also by him saying as he tucked his hand in his pocket “I know, people say I have a resemblance to the old man”

“Very much so”

“It’s been mentioned  _ once or twice  _ that you were close”

Peggy smiled and nodded “He was a dear friend”

Tony wasn’t exactly good at small talk, he shrugged with another smile and said “Well. It’s good to see that you’ve got your life back. This is my partner, Pepper”

Pepper smiled to Peggy widely and shook her hand “Pepper Potts”

“Pepper, hello, lovely to meet you”

Noah slapped Clint forward on his back and said “Momma this is Clint Barton. An Avenger and A class idiot”

“Thanks a lot, man” Clint mumbled to him under his breath. Before speaking to Peggy, he turned his head to Noah and got back at him by saying with a smirk “She’s hot by the way” Noah stared at him and then rolled his eyes as he walked over to Natasha.

Clint cleared his throat and smiled brightly to her, holding out his hand and shaking it almost too fast. He wasn’t kidding, he was kind of crushing on his friend’s mom right now. Noah then introduced Bruce to her, Bruce removed his glasses and gently shook her hand and said with his peaceful voice “Director Carter I have heard much about you, welcome back to the real world”

“Thank you, Doctor Banner that is kind of you to say”

Tony then spoke up once again “So, what do you all think of the new place?”

Evelyn looked around and said as she folded her arms and stood beside Pepper “You really out did yourself” she then looked to Pepper “Only by twelve percent, though”

Pepper frowned to her and then nudged her shoulder, they both looked to Peggy as she walked around a little and said “It’s beyond anything I have ever seen. That’s what I get for being locked away for over fifty years” she dryly joked. Which made everyone mutter a laugh.

Peggy looked back to Tony and asked “Did Howard teach you how to build like this?”

Tony looked at her and didn’t want to shatter the good man that she remembers. Not that Howard was ever a bad man, but a loving father? He didn’t exactly qualify. And even he wished that he could forget that about him, so what kind of person would he be if he did that to her? Tony shrugged and nodded “It was a family business that I wanted to carry on. He wanted that for me too” 

Peggy smiled and looked back to the building. All the highly advanced technology was astounding.

Noah turned to Natasha and smiled to her “So, Romanoff. What do you think?”

“I think it’s going to be nice, roomie”

Noah’s face dropped “Wait what?” he looked up and around, seeing how the rest of his teammates had smirks on his face “ _ What _ ?”

“Did you not get the memo?” Tony asked.

“Does it look like I got the memo?” Noah said as he motioned to his face. Tony laughed and shrugged as he motioned his hands to the whole room “Welcome to your new home” 

Peggy returned to them, standing beside Steve, feeling her arm touch against hers. Even that gave her chills down her spine but she acted as though it didn’t affect her in anyway. She saw the confused look on Noah’s face and then heard Bruce elaborate “Fury asked Tony to build this because he wants us all under the same roof. We are all being based in New York. Well part time”

“So my apartment in DC is what? Going to be sold?”

“No” Bruce laughed breathlessly “No SHIELD are going to cover the rent for that because they want you to stay in New York for the majority of the time. For work”

Evelyn beamed a smile as she looked to Noah “Noah this is good. Especially with mom being back, we can all be close”

“When I was told about Peggy I fixed something up for her too” Tony looked to Peggy “I hope you don’t mind in me presuming but-”

“Oh no, it’s absolutely fine. Thank you, Tony I appreciate it” Peggy smiled to him gratefully.

Noah scratched the back of his head and turned to Steve “What are you doing?”

Steve shrugged “I’ll be wherever my family is”

“And that means me” Noah muttered as he ran the palm of his hand over his face. Evelyn rolled her eyes “Noah stop being so dramatic”

“He gets that from you” Peggy muttered to Steve. Steve looked to her and smiled as he muttered back “I’ll take it”

Peggy looked to him and let out a small smile back before looking to Noah and asking “Is it a good thing or bad thing, love?”

“It’s...no it’s fine. It’s a good thing. You’re right Ev, we can all be close as a family again” Noah smiled, he looked to Natasha for a moment. The reason he was so hesitant was because of her, to resist the temptation of kissing her again. Because now that he has done it in a real and passionate moment. He wanted to do it again and again. Natasha smirked to him and gave him a nudge “It’ll be fun”

“Counting on it”

Clint then chimed in “Fury expects us to make our prime base here this weekend, so you got a few days to grab some stuff to bring here”

Natasha rolled her eyes and said “Clint says he isn’t moving in full time because of that dog and baby of his”

“Kate isn’t a baby” Clint groaned. Natasha and Noah bully him whenever they get the chance to about Kate. They liked Kate a lot, she thought Clint was as much of an idiot than they did. Noah looked to Peggy “Momma. What do you think?”

Peggy shrugged “Home is where my family is. You sister is here and your dad” Peggy looked to Steve and then added “ _ Both _ of them are here” Steve looked to her, surprised that she had commented on that. He didn’t know why he was surprised, she was never ashamed. But he just felt surprised. He couldn’t explain. Noah and Evelyn were surprised also. Peggy took her eyes away from Steve and back to Noah “New York was always our home”

He smiled to her and nodded. The reason he branched away from New York in the first place because he felt like it was a place of broken memories. But now, he could see himself living here again. His life didn’t see so broken anymore. Noah folded his arms and shrugged “Looks like I’m moving”

* * *

They spent practically all day with Evelyn after the visit to their new home. Peggy met her husband and had the chance to meet her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Evelyn’s daughter was just in total shock. It was a surreal thing to process, Peggy herself was trying to let it sink in with all of this. 

When it hit evening, Noah decided it be best for them to head back to DC. They would be back within a few days anyway. Natasha was going to stay in New York but, she figured that Noah needed to be out of the way in order for Steve and Peggy to have that talk that they were both so desperate to have. So she decided to come back with them.

Peggy hugged Evelyn tightly “You have a beautiful family, darling”

“I’m glad you actually got to meet them” Evelyn whispered as she felt her eyes fill up again. Peggy rubbed her back and then pulled away, pushing the strand of hair behind her daughter's ear “Me too, love” she kissed her cheek and then added “I will see you this weekend,  _ permanently _ ”

Evelyn grinned, Peggy touched her cheek and returned the same look, then turned away and walked to the car. Noah ran over to his sister and heard her say as he hugged her “Have I mentioned how grateful I am for you”

“No”

“Well I am” she slapped her hands on his back before wrapping her arms fully around him “I love you so much”

Noah kissed the top of her head “You too, my little sis”

“Dad would be proud of you, y’know? For everything you’ve done. And bringing mom home”

Noah smiled “Thanks, Ev” he kissed her forehead “I’ll see you on saturday, okay?”

“Yeah. I look forward to it” Evelyn smiled, letting go of the hold she had on his sweater. Noah rubbed her arm and smiled to her. The four of them all got back into the car and went on their way back to DC.

Peggy woke up to her shoulder being lightly shook by Steve from behind her “Pegs. Wake up, we’re home” Peggy slowly opened her eyes to see Noah pulling his seat forward and allowing Natasha to climb out. She rubbed her eyes and then got out and did the same for Steve. He smiled to her and awkwardly thanked her. Peggy watched him walk away and towards the apartment building for a moment, with her hand resting on the door. She just found herself watching him. 

Till Noah looked to her and snapped her out of it “Momma?”

Peggy came back down to earth and looked to him, he raised his eyebrows to her and lightly chuckled “You okay in there?”

“Yes sorry I was just lost in thought” Peggy muttered with a small smile before shutting the car door and following Noah into the apartment building. Where waiting for them was Sharon. Noah saw her and let out a surprised, breathless laugh “What’re you doing here? I thought you weren’t back till tomorrow night”

“Well yeah but when I heard I had to come back” Sharon looked to Peggy and smiled “Hi”

Peggy smiled, a little clueless “Hello?”

“Momma this is Sharon. I told you bout Sharon she’s your niece”

“Oh! My god yes!” She laughed and then nodded “Yes your eyes they. They are Michael’s eyes”

“Yeah my mom gets that a lot too. You’ll meet her soon enough”

“I hope so” She smiled, then pulling Sharon close and giving her a warm hug. Peggy wasn’t exactly some big hugger but when it comes to family it was clear to see that she couldn’t quite help it. Natasha then butted in and said “ _ Shaz _ . Noah and I are having a few drinks on the roof. You going to join us”

Sharon received a following look from Natasha that was saying ‘You’re joining us’ which just led her to nod and agree with no questions asked. Peggy wasn’t stupid, she knew what they were doing. And she was grateful, especially to Noah, he knew how weird this must feel for him, leaving his mother to have a heart to heart with her old flame after being married to the man that raised him for so many years.

Steve however didn’t catch on that quickly, he knew they were acting odd but he couldn’t pinpoint why. When they left the two of them alone in Noah’s apartment, Peggy looked at him from sitting on the couch and said “You are aware on what they are doing, right?”

Steve scratched the back of his head “You know what I’m like, I’m not one to notice subtly”

Peggy hummed a small laugh and looked down to her hands “Lord do I know that. They’re leaving us alone Steve...because out of everyone...I haven’t really talked to you” she gulped heavily and said in a dry voice as she felt herself get emotional all of a sudden “And I  _ really  _ want to talk to you”

Steve wasted no time, he sat beside her on the couch and as soon as he did, Peggy took hold of his hand, she didn’t look at him, not yet anyway. She just looked down to their hands. Steve kept his eyes on her though “Have I told you how much I’ve missed you”

Peggy looked up to him, her lip wobbling ever so slightly “I’ve missed you too, everyday since the crash”   

Steve shook his head slowly to her “I never wanted to leave you”

“I know. I don’t blame you. You did what had to be done...I just we could have found another way”

“I often think about...what if I had given you the coordinates...how different our lives could have been”

Peggy nodded and shrugged “Yes well. We’ll never know will we”

“Did you ever think about it?”

Again she nodded and shrugged, looking to his eyes again “I used to. Before Daniel” she rubbed her lips and then admitted “Maybe even with Daniel. A few times. It was almost as if I couldn’t help it, everytime Noah did something that was just something you’d do, it did make me think”

“I wish I could have been there for him. I know he had you and Daniel but...I just wish”

“I know” Peggy nodded “I wish too”

Steve smiled to her softly, Peggy gazed into his eyes for a moment and then mumbled “It was real wasn’t it? You and me”

“Yeah”

“It was such a long time ago now but...we really loved each other”

Steve nodded and looked down to their hands that were still resting in each other “Some would say the kind you only get once in a lifetime. For me anyway. I know that nothing will ever beat what we had”

Peggy stroked the back of his hand with her thumb and nodded “Yeah…” Steve looked to her, then she elaborated “What I had with Daniel, it was warm and safe. The love we had was a different kind. It was electric”

“The kind that me your heart race every time you were together…”

“And every time you touched, it sent a core chill down your spine...and when you kiss-”

“Fireworks set off” Steve said as he slowly nodded “Yeah...I remember”

Peggy kept her eyes on him and then repeated in a whisper “I remember…”

Steve looked into her eyes for a moments longer and then cleared his throat, looking away to break the tension. Yet still holding onto her hand, he felt like he didn’t want to let go of it because he didn’t know when he would get the chance to hold it again. Steve then asked her something that he swore he’d never ask because he didn’t it to seem like he was questioning her parenting or something but, it was on his mind “Peggy why...how come you didn’t tell Noah about me?”

Peggy softly sighed, she slid his hand out of his as she leaned forward and crossed her arms, she took a moment before speaking and tried to use her words carefully “Well, the reason that I decided on telling him when he was older was because...you have to understand Steve if things were different and I didn’t fall for Daniel when Noah was just a babe then maybe I would have handled the truth about you different.   
But Noah had taken so much to Daniel and whilst he was young he wouldn’t understand properly, it would have confused him and then there was the risk of him telling people and causing chaos. Can you imagine a little boy keeping his mouth shut at the fact that his dad was Captain America? He had blown my cover a fair few times after some lads pushed his buttons and he’d turn around with _ ‘my momma is an agent and will kill you’  _ which did not go down well with the headteacher”

Steve couldn’t help but laugh, he looked at her and gave her the look of  _ ‘come on that’s funny’  _ which then caused her to laugh. Peggy then sighed and added on “Which is why I thought it would be best to tell him when he was older. We might have done it when he was a little younger but with what happened to me and knowing how well I know Daniel. He panicked, he probably became scared the Noah would feel like some kind of orphan. His mother and  _ ‘real’ _ father were both  _ dead _ . It must have been an awful truth be told”

“I understand”

“Maybe if I could go back and do it differently then I would. But I was trying to do what I thought was best for him. I wanted Noah to feel like he had a normal life. Even if that only last for what would ultimately be a small part of...I did talk about you, though, I just didn’t address you as his father whilst he was still young, but I still wanted him to know about you”

Steve just looked at her and remained silent as he saw her soft smile entail more speaking, which she then confirmed by saying as she took hold of his hand again “I was never ashamed of what we had, I wasn’t ashamed in being…” Peggy rested her head on the back of the couch and asked in a whisper “What did you call it?”

“Best girl” he smirked. She knew. She just wanted to hear him say it, because he was proud when he came up with that title. Peggy nodded as she rubbed her lips together and then said in a gentle voice “I loved being that, I loved being your girl and being...with you. There will never be a point in my life where I’d regret it. Not when I was being ridiculed at my work for it, not when it made me a key target. Never did I regret you or us”

“That’s good to hear. Cause you were pretty much the best thing that ever could’ve happened to me”

Peggy smiled to him “Yes, well I have that effect on people”

Steve laughed breathlessly and shook his head to her, though in total agreement. Steve looked to her and shrugged “I still love you, you know?”

Peggy nodded as she weakly nodded “Yeah I do…” she ran her fingers through the side of his hair, looking at it as she did so. Not quite sure on what to say to him, her head was still a bit of a mess, he saw how she was struggling, he took told of her hand and shook his head softly as he whispered “You don’t have to say anything. I just wanted you to know”

“Well thank you for telling me” she said with a light laugh, tilting her head to him she then said “He’s taken well to you”

“You should’ve seen him a few months ago”

“Yes well he doesn’t always play well with strangers, he never has done” Peggy said as she looked away from him “Takes him a while”

“That’s what Natasha said”

“She seems to know him as well as I do” Peggy laughed. She looked to Steve “How do you think he is Steve? Truly?”

“Good  _ now _ , he was...he was broken when I first met him”

Peggy ran her fingers through her hair and shook her head “I can’t think of him like that, there’s this” she paused as she tried to gather her words “The things that Evie told me about him. I just can’t imagine him doing the things he did. Picking fights. It just-”

“He told me about that. He didn’t want to feel”

“Feel what?”

“Anything” Steve shrugged “I gather that’s what he meant”

Peggy brought her knees up to her chest and remained silent for a moment, pressing the palm of her hand against her forehead “He wants me to be open with him about the things I went through so he can try to...understand I suppose but there are somethings that I can’t…” Peggy paused as she saw the look on his face. Peggy raised her eyebrows to him faintly “Steve?”

Steve sighed, clearing his throat he rubbed his forehead and avoided looking at her “There is something that we found out…”

He felt her eyes burn into his  _ skull  _ and now he wishes he didn’t mention anything, but there was no going back now. If Peggy Carter wanted to know something she would damn well find out eventually. It made him sick to his stomach just thinking bout it, and she could tell that it was hurting him, which is why she reached over and took hold of his hand “Steven, please”

“When we were interrogating Octavian Bloom. He mentioned what the guards did to you”

Peggy breath shuddered, her eyes filled up straight away and shook her head “No...no no please god no I…” she took her hand away and dropped her head into her palms. Letting out a cry. Steve felt his eyes fill up, he scooted towards her and put his hand on her back, then saying with an emotional tone in his voice “He wasn’t lying”

Peggy shook her head and let out a sob, shaking her head and turning to him as she cried, burying her face into his chest and gripping tightly onto his shirt, Steve wrapped his arms tightly around her straight away and cradled her head. He wanted to just take care of her and protect her from it all, take it all away. And Peggy couldn’t bare it knowing that Steve and Noah had found out, Noah especially, that was her little boy. He should never have to hear such things about his mother.

“I’m so sorry, Pegs” Steve whispered, he didn’t know what to say. What could you say?

He buried his face in her neck “I wish I could take it away”

Peggy pulled away, she pulled her jumper sleeves over her hands and covered her mouth for a moment with her eyes closed, taking a deep breath she then dropped her hand and said “Out of my entire time there...being a prisoner by them...that was the only time where I felt truly fragile and vulnerable. The two men I killed on that boat were the ones who…” she felt herself cry again “One of them tried touching me on the boat and that’s when I snapped”

“Those bastards deserved it” Steve muttered as he continued to rub her back “And I doubt Noah would even mention it, I don’t think he’s even thinking about it because he’s just so happy to have his mom back”

“I hope you’re right” Peggy wiped her tears, then hearing Steve sigh and damn to himself “I shouldn’t have said anything, it’s made you upset I-”

“No Steve I’m glad you did. It would have been worse for me if I found out that you all knew further down the line. And I am okay. Truly I am” she tilted her head to his unconvinced face and knelt up on the sofa, leaning forward to him and hugging onto him tightly “I would never lie to you, you know that. After all these years you are still the one person I can tell anything” she stroked the back of his hair and added “And you know that”

Steve took in a deep breath and kissed her shoulder “I’ll take your word”  

She rubbed his back and then sat back. She looked to his eyes and lightly pushed him back into the corner of the couch, he was confused at first. But then it came clear when she rested her head onto his chest. Peggy put her arms around him and closed her eyes. She just needed his warmth and comfort. She had missed it, but she would keep that to herself for now. And Steve would never dare to pull away, all he wanted to do was hold her. Being with her. This right now, was the core of his happiness.


	18. Chapter 18

It was half an hour after Peggy had rested herself on Steve that they heard the lock on the door jiggle. Peggy brought herself up and ran her fingers through her hair as she yawned. Noah came through the door by himself, Peggy smiled to him “Hi love, where’s the girls?”

“Sharon went back to her apartment and Natasha’s took my car to drive home”

“Something she does often?”

Noah nodded as he closed the door behind him and nodded as he took himself into the kitchen “Yeah more often than not. Tea?”

“Yes please” Peggy nodded as she rubbed her forehead, she looked to Steve who was staring at her. He then cleared his throat and called back into the kitchen “I’ll have a coffee, Noah, please”

“Sure thing”

Peggy smiled to Steve and patted his leg before standing up and heading towards the bathroom. She stretched as she closed the door and then took in a deep breath as she rested her hands on the sink, she deeply exhaled and then looked at herself in the mirror. She couldn’t bring herself to even imagine what Steve and Noah’s reaction was when they find out how far her abuse went when she was a prisoner of hydra. That was the one thing that she just wanted to keep locked away and never to be known by anyone, especially not the people she loved.

Peggy grabbed a bobble from her bag and tied her hair up high, with some strands of hair still falling on on her face. She splashed some water on her face and then scrubbed her arms with hot water. Something that she felt like she had to do whenever this particular memory enters her brain, it makes her feel unclean and dirty. Doing this makes her feel better. She just wanted to forget. And she tried to forget over and over again. Usually she didn’t have much to keep her feel numb, hopefully now she would.

Peggy returned to the living room. There she found Noah sat down with Steve on the couch, talking about whatever it was that they were discussing. She sat down with them, and they got to swapping stories.

“So I was doing a bootcamp training session, whilst Steve was still in his pre-serum body. All of a sudden. Colonel Phillips, launches a dummy grenade. Bare in mind that nobody knew that it was and guess who jumped  _ on  _ it”

Noah looked to Steve and laughed “Seriously?”

Steve nodded and shrugged with a smug smirk as he sat back on the couch, thinking he had well and truly impressed his son. But instead, Noah shrugged with his arms crossed and asked “Why didn’t you leap forward and throw it to a secluded point of the camp instead of going to blow yourself up. Cause that would have been messy”

Peggy pointed her whole hand to Steve, as if to say _‘see_ ’ she then raised her eyebrow to him and said “We discussed this many times”

Steve nodded “Yeah I know we did and I stand by what I have always said is that you know for a _fact_ that I couldn’t throw to save my damn life”

Peggy fell silent for a moment, she then dropped her hand and leaned back in her chair “Yes, fair point”

Steve looked to Noah and was still a little baffled at how close his logic was to Peggy’s. But he’d be surprised, Noh had Steve impulsive traits and sacrificing traits. Steve then turned it back round onto her and said “You wanna talk reckless why don’t you tell him about the time he almost wasn’t born cause you tried to kill me”

Peggy rolled her eyes “I did not try to kill you”

“You shot me”

“At you. I shot at you”

Noah then raised his eyebrows and asked “Why was there shooting?”

Peggy looked to Steve and dryly joked “He cheated”

“Peggy!” Steve’s jaw dropped. Seeing how fast Noah’s head snapped from Peggy to him, with his protective jaw clench officially switched on. Peggy put her hand on his shoulder and lightly laughed “I’m joking, this Private. Lorraine took advantage of Steve’s innocent nature and kissed him, it just didn’t look good when I walked in, it was when we were first seeing each other. I didn’t let him get a word in edgeways and then when he was testing his shield I...shot at him”

Noah suddenly burst out laughing, it was a sound that Steve had heard from the first time and instantly treasured it. Peggy saw the look on his face and could tell, because she felt the exact same way the first time she had heard it. It was like a melody. Noah looked to Peggy, slapping his hand to his chest “Momma you always said you were sensible in the war”

Steve muttered a laugh, boy did he have stories that he could tell about her. But he doubt that Noah would want to hear such tales. Peggy looked to Noah with her jaw slightly dropped and glanced to Steve as she said “I was...apart from that one time”

“And the time after that and the time after that” Steve raised his eyebrows “It was your mom who used to sneak in the bourbon”

“Well you boys didn’t give me much of a choice I was the only one who could flirt my way into getting it. Bucky tried it once because we made an assumption of one of the bartenders and he was not happy”

“Bucky was your best friend?” Noah asked Steve to clarify in his own mind. Steve cracked a small still broken smile and nodded “Yeah. That’s Buck. You’d of liked him”

“I feel like he would have been the best worst influence he could have had” Peggy smiled, ruffling Noah’s hair. Steve laughed but couldn’t help but agree. Bucky would have got Noah into all sorts of trouble, in an ideal world. That what Steve imagined, watching Noah grow from a by, having Peggy by his side as his wife and having Bucky there. As he always was. It should have been that way and it was almost unfair that it wasn’t. But he couldn’t dwell, he just had to focus on the now.

Noah got to talking about how it felt growing up with parents who did what Peggy and Daniel did. He did love it, he loved growing up in that environment. He felt like he had a huge family with Howard, Angie, Jack, the Howlies and who could forget Ana and Jarvis. He felt like he was part of something big and they always had his back “And mom always kept me safe”

“When I could” Peggy looked to him and said “You remember when you were seven and my job proved to be a danger”

_ 24th June 1953 _

_ Peggy was at Steve’s grave. Obviously they had never recovered a body but in his honour they plotted a grave, the great war hero he was, he deserved something for people to see and pay their respects to. She used to visit very often, but now that she was married. Peggy no longer had her grief to fill her head. But still, she liked to come and visit him.  _

_ She had only spent fifteen minutes or so at the grave before heading back home, Angie should be back at the diner by now after picking up Noah from school and Evelyn was still at nursery. Peggy usually did the picking up school runs. It was just the odd day where she would be busy or run errands that she’d ask Angie. And she did have an errand to run, she just happened to stop by his grave. _

_ Peggy got to the diner, and when she did. She saw something she really didn’t like to see. SHIELD cars outside of the diner. Peggy quickly got out of her car and rushed to the diner to find out what was going on. She saw Angie, with tears running down her cheeks whilst holding Evelyn in her arms. _

_ “Angie what’s happened?” _

_ Angie took her eyes to Peggy “Oh god Peggy thank goodness. I didn’t know what to do I had no way in contacting you” _

_ Peggy put her hand on Evelyn’s back as she looked at the scared look on Angie’s face and she softly asked “Angie what is it? Talk to me” _

_ “I went to pick Noah up from school today but he never came out and when I asked the teacher’s where he was they said that a man claiming to be his uncle had taken him” _

_ Peggy’s heart dropped, she suddenly felt like she couldn’t breathe “Wha...did...what did you say?” _

_ “I said that couldn’t have been possible because all his Uncles. Blood or not were in work or out of town and then I just came back here with Ev and rang the office” _

_ Peggy ran her fingers through her hair and let out a deep breath to try and keep her emotions under check. She could spiral out of control with worry because that would get her nowhere. Jack then came in from the back and Peggy rushed to him “Where’s Daniel?” _

_ Jack put his hands on her arms, he raised his eyebrows and tried to keep her calm “He’s at a conference. Remember? We’ve tried getting a hold of him, the boys back at the office are gonna keep ringing till we get through. But we think we know where he is. Remember that bastard we’ve been trying to get? Crane?” _

_ Peggy just nodded, not finding the capability to even talk right now, Jack continued “There was a parent who went the school early and saw him, matching Crane’s description” _

_ “But where is he?” Peggy asked in a strained cry.  _

_ “Well just this morning we got a tip that he’s staying at that old shack by the docks but-Peggy-” Jack tried to stop her from turning around and walking out, he knew what she was going to do, she was going to try and handle this herself “Peggy don’t just stop” _

_ Peggy kissed the back of Evelyn's head as she past and said to Angie “Keep hold of her” _

_ Jack ran to her as she got in her car and pressed his hands against her window “Peggy hold on we need a plan of attack or something” _

_ “I have a plan, Jack” Peggy said sternly as she turned on her car engine, looking at him, she raised her eyebrows and said “Attack” _

_ Jack banged on the window one more time to try and make her see sense but all she saw was red and put her foot right down on the pedal and took off. Jack cursed under his breath and then ran back inside to call his men to move out. Hopefully he’d reach Peggy in time before she did anything drastic. _

_ Peggy came to a sudden stop and got out of the car, she kept a medium distance from the shack and just waited. She didn’t want to make any charging moves incase he would react and hurt Noah. She’d never live with herself if anything happened to him. She could feel her heart beat in her chest. It was when she heard her son’s yell that she couldn’t wait for any help to arrive. _

_ Peggy sprinted to the shack and kicked the door down, so hard that it knocked off it’s hinges and fell to the floor. She saw Crane, who was a twenty four year old demon who has enraged a lot of pain on a lot of people, with his arm around Noah’s neck from the back. He was on the verge of going to choke him. And by the size of him, he could crush Noah with little effort.  _

_ Peggy held her hand up and took a deep breath “Crane. I don’t know what you’re plan here is, but taking my son is not a good one. Let him go now” _

_ “Momma…” Noah weakly muttered. _

_ “It’s okay, love, just keep your eyes on me” Peggy said with a soft smile to try and keep him calm. _

_ “Don’t lie to the boy. You got him into this mess” Crane, whose first name was Tommy said as his arm wrapped tighter around Noah’s neck, making Peggy flinch as Noah squirmed. _

_ “You want to hurt me and my husband because we locked up your brother. Fine. But you come after us, the adults, you don’t go and threaten to hurt my boy” Peggy said sternly, shaking her head. It fell silent, Peggy looked from Tommy, to Noah and Tommy again. She then launched herself forward and punched Tommy  in the face, as he stumbled back, she turned to Noah and gave him a push “Go outside!” _

_ “But what about you momma!” _

_ “Just get outside!” Peggy ordered before turning back around to Tommy and hit him again as he then went to fight back. He got a hit, just one before Peggy punched him low in the gut which caused him to fall to the floor. She stared down at him, knowing the things he had done. The women he had sexually attacked. It made her feel sick, the fact that he had just hurt her son made her want to hurt him back. _

_ She had never done this before, she carried on hitting him, she kicked him in the stomach and heard him let out a wounded groan, he went to reach for his knife that was on the floor and she stepped down on his wrist. _

_ “You made the wrong move by hurting my son” Peggy said in a low mutter before kicking him again. _

_ “Stupid bitch-” _

_ Peggy put her foot against his neck and nodded “One that could kill you before you even have the chance to blink” _

_ “Then kill me” _

_ “No. You’re not getting the easy way out” Peggy shook her head. She heard the cars pull up from the outside.  _

_ Jack ran over to Noah who seemed scared to death, he crouched down to him “Hey, little man, you okay?” _

_ “Yeah but my momma is still in there” Noah sobbed.  _

_ Jack looked up to the shack and nodded as he stood up and took off his hat “Don’t worry, Noah. I’ll get your momma” he put his hat on top of Noah’s head to keep him occupied and winked “Look after that for me, pal” _

_ Peggy went to walk away when she heard him say in a groan “Should of killed the little bastard when I had the chance” he then laughed “After all that’s what he is isn’t he? You know how people love to talk” _

_ Peggy took a deep breath, opening her eyes again she slowly turned around. She couldn’t let that go. Peggy walked back to him and kicked up again, this time in his face and snapped “Maybe you shouldn’t” _

_ Before she had the chance to hit him again, Jack came and pulled her arms behind her back so he could pull her away. Jack turned her around to the door and let her go as he pointed to outside “Peggy go to your son” _

_ “He-” _

_ “I will deal with him. Just go” Jack said in a fair yet still stern voice. Even though Peggy was technically his boss now, she did as he asked because she knew that he was making sense out of the both of them. _

_ Peggy got outside and held her arms out to Noah who ran to her from the SHIELD agents keeping him company, Peggy wrapped her arms around him and lifted him up. She took off Jack’s hat that he was wearing and tossed it on the bench beside them to cradle his head. She let out a deep breath and a cry “Are you okay?” _

_ “Yeah”  _

_ "Yeah?" _

_ Noah nodded muttered as he rested his head on Peggy’s shoulder “I was scared though” _

_ “I know love, but I’ve got you. I'll always have you” _

_ Daniel soon showed up, when he got the call he rushed s fast as he could. He saw Peggy hugging Noah at the bench. Peggy passed Jack his hat as he walk past with Tommy Crane handcuffed. He went over to them as soon as he could, when Peggy saw him, she stood up from the bench with Noah and held her hand out for him. _

_ “Hey” he said with a worried look still on his face, giving Peggy a quick peck and then looked down to Noah and scanning him to see if he was okay. _

_ “He’s okay” Peggy whispered as Daniel pulled them both close and held them. Daniel saw how scared Peggy looked, he put his hand to her cheek “And you?” _

_ “Yeah I’m fine. But... if anyone lays a hand on our son again I will kill them” _

_ Daniel knew that she meant it, he didn’t say anything, he just kissed her forehead before resting her head on his shoulder. _

Peggy looked to Steve and said “If you ever wondered what was the scariest moment of my life it was that right there”

“I can imagine” Steve nodded. He admired Peggy so much, which was no new news but he admired her even more now if that was possible. Hearing the way she handled herself, the way she risked her life for their son. And in the end even sacrificed it.

They stayed up a little longer, Steve and Peggy soon got so caught up in their war memories with each other that they didn’t notice that Noah had passed out on the couch. Steve looked up at the clock and barely even realised till now just how late it was. He looked to Peggy and said in a small laugh “I should probably get back to my own place”

Peggy smiled softly and nodded as she looked from Noah to watching Steve stand up. He looked down to her and smiled to her as he whispered “Goodnight, Pegs”

“Night” she whispered back. Peggy watched him as he walked out of the front door, she then took a deep breath, glanced to Noah and then got up and went after him.

“Steve”

Steve turned from opening his door to her, he raised his eyebrows to her. He said nothing, he just looked at her with that warm look of his. Peggy rubbed her lips together and then pulled him close. Getting up on her tip toes ever so slightly as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Steve sunk into it and wrapped his arms around her body. Peggy pressed her body harder against his and arched her back as he leaned down to her for a moment and gently picked her up. Peggy rubbed his back and after a moment of remaining silent and in the moment, she turned her head and kissed his cheek to then whisper in his ear “Thank you”

“For what?”

Peggy rested her chin on his shoulder, with her arms still around him, she shrugged her shoulders “Everything”

Steve buried his head in the crook of her neck and took in a deep breath before both pulling away, Peggy ran her hands down his cheeks with a loving smile on her face “Goodnight, Steve”

“Sweet dreams, Peggy” Steve backed away and eventually turned to his door and walked in. Peggy stood there for a moment and let out a small smile as she bowed her head down to the floor with her arms now crossed. She looked up to his door with a smile still on her face and then walked into the apartment.

She quietly shut the door and tucked her hair behind her ear as she walked over to her sleeping son and leaned down to him. She ran her fingers through his hair as he slept.

_ “Come on, chief. Time for bed” Peggy lifted up the sleepy eight year old off of the couch and in her arms. _

_ “Are we still going to the movies tomorrow?” _

_ “Mm-hm” Peggy rubbed his back as she carried him up the stairs and to his room. _

_ “Promise?” _

_ “I give you my word, love” _

Peggy lightly rubbed his arm, she put one hand to grip onto it lightly and then put her other to his back to lift him slowly “Come on, chief”

She put her arm around his back and held onto his waist. When Noah was sleepy. He was  _ sleepy _ . He could barely function, he just goes out like a light. Peggy lifted him from the couch, though now she can’t carry him in his arms. She put his arm around her shoulder and guided his zombie body towards his bedroom. Peggy dropped him down onto the bed that he instantly lay down flat on, still with his eyes closed. Peggy stared at him a little longer and touched his cheek, she leaned down and kissed his forehead before whispering “I love you”

She pulls the duvet over his body, walks over to the door and before turning off the light. She looked at her son one more time.

* * *

Days past and the three of them were ready to move to New York to live in the tower. But before hand, Noah wanted one more night to say goodbye to the place that had been his home for so long. So Steve said that he and Peggy would leave the night before they were set to all go. Take Noah’s car and he would drive up with Natasha. Noah planned on inviting Clint and Natasha round for dinner, something they used to do often. It used to be the case that they lived here almost as much as he did. At first Noah said they didn’t have to, but he knew that they would be insistent through being driven on giving him every piece of happiness they could. And he was grateful for that. 

So Noah sent Natasha a text, gave Clint a call and turned on the stove.

Natasha knocked on Noah’s door and was surprised to have Clint open it. With a bandaid on his nose again, she rolled her eyes. He’s always getting into trouble. She then raised her eyebrows “Just the man I was looking for”

Clint smirked “Really?”

“No. Where’s Noah?”

Clint tutted and stepped aside, then calling in “Noah. You’re wife’s here”

Noah looked over his shoulder from the stove and smiled “Hey wife”

“Hi husband” Natasha said as she took a seat on the bar stool on the other side from him. Natasha crossed her arms and leaned down on the bar as she tried to peek over his shoulder to what he was cooking “What’re we having?”

“Stir Fry, beef. Care to join?” Noah asked as he turned and looked to her, Natasha raised an eyebrows and reached for the nachos that were in a bowl beside her “Sure I’m not crashing your date?”

Noah tilted his head to her and gave her a half amused face. Natasha muttered a chuckle to herself as she chomped down on the nacho and then asked “Where’s Peggy?”

“New York” Noah muttered as he checked the stove temperature. As he did so, Natasha looked to Clint who mouthed to her before drinking his beer “With Steve”

Natasha raised her eyebrows and looked to Noah “With Steve? So that’s back on?”

“Was it ever off?” Clint mocked a genuinely confused voice before chuckling. He saw the brief daggers he got from Noah and held his hands up “Hey I’m kidding”

Noah looked back to the stove before turning back around and crossing his arms as he looked into Natasha’s eyes that had a warm welcoming “You alright about it?”

Noah stayed silent and still for a moment before shrugging and dropping his arms “Nothing has happened. I know it’s just a matter of when...it’s obvious...but if and when the time does come, I’ll be okay with it”

It fell silent again. Clint then got a message on his phone, that made him groan “Damn it. Looks like I gotta pass on dinner. Sorry man, Kate needs me to get back, something about that assholes in tracksuits”

Natasha and Noah nodded. Natasha looked to Noah, who nodded at her to say whatever it was that she was going to say as he said he’d catch them later and went round the corner to the front door, Natasha looked down to the bar and said “Have fun babysitting your girlfriend”

It went so silent that Natasha round to Noah and they both crouched down behind the bar since they knew what was coming, Clint stormed back inside “For the last time she’s neither my girlfriend or a baby!”

All he heard was the pair of them giggling. He rolled his eyes “I hate you two”

Natasha and Noah kept their eyes on each other, both stopping their giggles as they called in unison “Bye!”

When they heard the door slam, their laughter eventually settled. They stayed sitting down on the floor beside each other, Noah had his knee up to his chest with his arm resting on. Still with an amused look on his face. Natasha stared at him as she lightly bit her lip and rested her head against the bar. Noah felt her eyes on him and looked to her “Got something on my face?”

Natasha stared at him and answered his question with one of her own “Can we talk about what happened in Hampstead?”

Noah raised his eyebrows “About the…”

“The kiss. Yeah Noah I wasn’t talking about the weather”

Noah took a breath through his nose and looked down at the floor whilst she still looked at him, she saw how his thumb rubbed against his index finger, which is something he does when he doesn’t know how to start a certain topic, so she did it for him “It was just....a heat in the moment thing, right?”

Noah looked up to her, he remained silent for a moment. By the way she phrased that, he got the feeling that it was her way of asking for him to just agree. For them to push this under the rug and say nothing more about it, it’s not like they haven’t kissed before. It’s just that this kiss wasn’t part of any mission and more importantly this time he really wanted to kiss her. Like badly. But if she wants it to be this way then he wasn’t going to push her, he was a gentlemen at heart.

Noah nodded as he looked to the floor “Yeah just...in England, both of us were pretty overwhelmed and…”

“Emotional”

“Right emotional”

“Yeah” Natasha nod as she looked away from him “Probably best. Not many people find this sort of lifestyle appealing. Hear what I do they’d run a mile”

Noah couldn’t help but laugh and shake his head “Any decent guy would know that you are worth the stress and risk of what this job brings”

“You have to say that…”

“I don’t have to say anything” he shrugged “I don’t have to say you’re beautiful but I’ll say it cause it’s true” he looked to her, seeing the slightly surprised expression on her face. Noah softly smiled to her and nodded “You’re damn beautiful, Romanoff”

Natasha stared at him and laughed breathlessly, she smacked and then pushed his arm. Lightly chuckling and then leaning back against the bar, she looked to him and then mumbled “You’re not so bad either, Carter”

It fell silent again. Noah then heard Natasha mutter “What if I’m still on english time?”

He looked to her, rather stunned. Natasha then looked to him and just nodded, he kept his eyes on her. Wondering if what she just said was really what she just said. Natasha rubbed her lips as she looked to his before nodding and whispered “Does that count for anything?”

“You serious?”

“Don’t I look it?”

Noah almost couldn’t believe what he was hearing, never in the six years have they come to this. Noah knew that he had something for her, it was obvious no matter how much he denied. And she for him. But they never acted on it for reasons that they couldn’t come down to their own conclusions. But almost losing him throughout all of this, she had gotten the reality shock and check that she couldn’t live without him, and there was a big reason behind that. The fact that neither of them let each other in, and they are so open with each other and depend on each other like they haven’t done with anyone else. That speaks volume as to what their relationship was.

As Clint always says to both of them. They’re in a relationship without even realising it. Maybe now they are.

Noah slowly leaned towards her, putting his hand to her cheek and pulling her close. Their lips slowly came together. Natasha gripped onto his hoodie and pulled his body to hers as their tongues brushed together. She pulled off his jacket as his arms wrapped around her body. She lay on her back as he hovered over her. She felt his dog tags touch her chest. She wrapped her hand around them and tugged on them to pull him down. Noah pulled his lips away and looked into her eyes before leaning down and kissing her neck for a brief, soft moment. It was enough to make her bite her lip and quietly moan.

Noah took his eyes back to her “Are we sure about this?”

Natasha giggled and shook her head “Are we ever sure about anything.  _ Ever _ ?”

“Fair point” Noah whispered with a nervous chuckle, lowering himself back down to her and kissing her again. Their legs became tangled, his hand gripped back to her waist under her shirt.

The next thing they both knew they were in his bedroom. Natasha giggled against his lips as he took of her jacket and then cupped his face as she knelt up on the bed, dominating the entire thing by pushing him down on his back with her lips still against his. Natasha whispered “What the hell are we doing?”

“I don’t know. But I don’t know why weren’t doing it before” Noah whispered back in a hot breath, she smirked had her lips to his again as he switch the position and he was now lay on top of her. She gripped on to his back and pulled his shirt over his head. Natasha cupped his face and then smiled as she looked into his eyes, taking another breath before pulling his lips back onto hers. 

It was safe to say that their friendship was compromised. 


	19. Chapter 19

The next morning, Noah woke up to something he never thought he’d see. Natasha Romanoff lay in bed beside him. Actually, he had seen this before. But usually they were clothed and hadn’t just had sex. And majority of the time they didn’t have their arms around each other. Noah looked down to her and couldn’t help but smile. This feeling was so sudden and it was new, but it was amazing. 

Noah rubbed his nose against her forehead before softly kissing it, Natasha stirred and slowly began to wake up, as her eyes opened, she looked up and saw him looking at her.

“Hi…” she mumbled through still waking herself up.

“Hi”

Natasha lay on her back, she turned her head to him. Stuck on what words to say to him, and he was feeling the same. At the same time they let out an awkward chuckle.

“So” she muttered.

“Yeah. So”

“Last night was interesting” Natasha said. Noah looked to her and raised an eyebrow “Interesting? Is that how you wanna describe it?”

Natasha then laugh “What do you want me to say?  _ You rocked my world _ ”

Noah cockily wiggled his brows and said with a smirk to her “It’d be a start”

Natasha huffed and laugh and looked up to the ceiling, she then felt Noah kiss her shoulder and say “You did mine if that helps your ego”

“Thank you because it’s been slipping for a while now” Natasha dryly teased. She looked to him again and said “So you kinda like me, huh?”

“Kinda” Noah put his thumb and index finger close together and said “Only this much though”

“Good. Glad we’re on the same level”

Noah smiled to her. With love in his eyes, which was much less subtle than ever before. Natasha rubbed her lips together and then said “We’re still just friends right?”

Noah shook his head as she began to giggle “You aren’t funny” he put his hands on her waist and began to tickle her, leaning over her as she squirmed and laughed at the same time. Slapping his arm and begging him to stop through her fit of giggles. Eventually he stopped and rested beside her, he stared at her, looking to her lips and the kissing her again. It was still surprising to them both, but it felt so right now that they were doing.

Natasha put her hand on the back of his head and pulled his lips deeper onto hers. She lightly bit his lip as they pulled away and quickly kissed him again “You do know we are going to get the whole _ ‘I knew it’ _ from just about everyone”

Noah chuckled and nodded “Yeah. But to be fair they did know it”

Natasha ran her fingers through the side of his hair, Noah tilted his head to her as he could tell that there was something that she had on her mind “What?”

“Do you...do you think we should just keep this quiet for now. Everything that is happening with the team buckling in together and your mom is adjusting to all of this, and so is Steve to be fair...maybe we should just keep this quiet till we are...give it a go. Cause as much as everyone knew it we sure as hell didn’t” she lightly laughed and then said “It’s new to us and I just don’t think we need all that pressure”

Noah squinted his eyes to her and said “You just think secret relationships are sexy”

Natasha rolled her eyes and dropped her hand “Jesus”

Noah nodded as he lay back beside her and continued to tease “That’s the real deal. None of that deep and meaningful shit. You just think it’s hot”

“You got me” Natasha played along as he looked to her. Noah laugh and rested his head on his hand, she leaned forward and kissed him again before whispering “Go put the coffee on. We’ve got a roadtrip to get underway”

“Yes ma’am” Noah whispered as he nodded to her. Watching her sit up and put his t-shirt on her to then get up and go to the bathroom. Noah lay back on the bed for a moment. Just taking this all in. He had just slept with his best friend. His best friend of whom he knew he had been falling for but was too scared to admit. He promised himself that he wouldn’t fall in love again, but now he was beginning to think that it didn’t work out with Elizabeth because he was meant to wait for Natasha. If you believe in that whole fate thing. Which he does deep down.

Noah did as he was told and got out of bed to put on the coffee.

* * *

Steve looked down to his phone as he got a text and said “Noah’s on his way, he and Natasha headed off a little while ago”

Peggy nodded as they walked into the kitchen. She skimmed her hand over the counter as she looked around “It is rather incredible”

“Hard to adjust almost” Steve said, which got Peggy to nod in agreement. The elevator doors opened and Tony walked in “Ah I see you’ve settled in nicely”

“I am still trying to wrap my head around how advanced everything is” Peggy said with a light laugh. Tony shrugged and nodded “As expected. Don’t worry it’ll all be normal soon enough. How’s Evelyn?”

“I just saw her on the drive up, she’s doing great”

“Good. Always like to keep tabs on that one” Tony shifted his eyes to Steve and said “So what do you guys think? I thought giving you guys your own level would be good. Seen as though you have building bridges to do. Where is junior by the way?”

“He’s driving up now with Nat”

“Ah those crazy lovebirds” Tony muttered “It’s only a matter of time you know”

Peggy smirked and rolled her eyes “So I have been told. And this level you have done for us is lovely thank you, Tony”

“Don’t sweat it” Tony waved his hand to her “I like to build so maybe I should be thanking you guys for having such a complicated situation”

“Is blunt jokes always the thing with you?” Steve asked as he leaned his hands down on the counter. Tony slid his hands in his pockets and nodded “Pretty much” his visit was short and sweet, he walked back to the elevator and said “Well enjoy your stay at Avengers tower, hope you like the view if you need me just ring your bell” he stood in the elevator and looked to Steve’s face, as the doors closed his clarified “I’m joking there is no bell”

Steve looked to Peggy as the doors closed and said “I can’t remember Howard being like that”

“He had his moments believe me” Peggy muttered in a small laugh. She cleared her throat and made her way round to the kettle “Tea?”

“Sure”

Peggy strummed her fingernails on the counter as she waited for the kettle to boil, taking in a deep breath and then getting lost in her thoughts.

“Hey” Steve whispered, still making her jump. She sighed and turned around. Steve held his hands up as he leaned against the island facing her “Didn’t mean to scare you”

“It’s fine, I scare easily now. It’s been like that for a while”

Steve nodded with a sad look on his face “Well you’re safe now. You know that right?”

Peggy quietly cleared her throat and nodded as she crossed her arms. She could barely even look at him, she looked down to her shoes. Steve stared at her, she seemed so fragile. All he wanted to do was get through to her “How’re you doing?”

Peggy shrugged as she brought her head up “I’ve spent over fifty years being on my own, never aging, feeling I was frozen in time. Thinking my family were slaughtered...to then find that I was wrong. It’s a quite a lot to get my head around”

“Yeah I get that”

Peggy then broke a small smile “I bet, you woke up and found out you had a son” she turned for a moment and took out a cup and a placed a teabag in it, pouring the now boiled water into it. Steve watched her do so as he nodded “Yeah it was definitely a...shock, i mean we were always careful y’know?”

Peggy shrugged as she put the milk in the cup and put the teabag in her cup before taking it in her hands “It happens. It was a blessing in my eyes, especially after you went in the ice. I felt like I had a piece of you”

Steve smiled fondly, then hearing her add on “And it helped the fact that he was such a good boy too, he was the sweetest child...it’s odd seeing him again, I know he’s still young but to me seeing him this old when the last time I saw him he was ten it’s…like last night when I was carrying him to bed and he was much bigger and older it was just...”

“A lot to get your head around”

Peggy slowly nodded “I’ve spent twenty years alone, thirty five years before that in utter torture...god and seeing that Natalia, well she’s  _ Natasha  _ now. Seeing her here, being on the right path in the place that I had founded. And Noah. It’s clear as day that he loves her, the way he looks at her...” Peggy’s eyes fell to his, then seeing the look on his eyes and added “Well I just know the feeling”

She took a sip of her tea, she then sighed and rubbed her forehead as she placed her cup on the side “God I missed so much of his life. Of both of their lives. Evelyn has got children of her own who are grown and I have missed everything important”

“Hey” Steve walked to her, putting his hands on her arms “Don’t make yourself feel guilty. You thought they were dead, you did everything you could to try and protect them”

Peggy dropped her hands on his arms and looked into his eyes, Steve smiled to her “If you were such a bad mother, then Noah wouldn’t have spoken so highly of you. You are all he has ever truly known, he wouldn’t rest until he got even a fraction of a lead to find you. Now what does that tell you? You were always with them”

She stared at him and sighed “God, you always knew what to say to me”

Steve smiled as she softly rubbed his arms and she whispered “Thank you”

“Anytime, I just want to make you feel safe again, Peggy”

“I know” Peggy muttered as she lightly put her hand on his chest over his heart. Still trying to grasp him actually being in front of her. That she could actually touch him, it was just as surreal as everything else.

Steve tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear before gently resting his hand against her cheek, she lifted her eyes and latched them onto his. Peggy gripped onto his shirt as their foreheads touched. Both closed their eyes and took a deep breath. He had longed for her for so long. Peggy felt his lips grow closer to her, at first she didn’t even flinch, but at the last second she whispered a cry “I can’t…”

Peggy covered her mouth as she walked away from him. Steve kept his eyes closed for a moment, he sighed once again and rubbed his forehead as he leaned against the counter with his other hand.

She touched her lips with her fingertips, as if she could feel the last time he kissed her still lingering on her lips, she then looked down and saw her wedding ring still on her finger. The ring that she had fought tooth and nail to keep, she kept it in her boot for years. The fact that she had just almost kissed Steve whilst still wearing it felt like she was betraying Daniel in some way.

Before Steve had the chance to say anything to her. The elevator doors opened and Noah came through with Natasha behind him. Looks like he was closer than the text had implied.

“Hey guys” Noah smiled as they walked in together. Steve and Peggy looked to him and plastered on smiles, as if those two minutes didn’t happen. Peggy crossed her arms as she leaned against the counter “Hi, sweets. What have you got there?”

Noah held up the paper bag in his and said “Dunkin donuts. You remember them right?”

“Yes very much so. I wasn’t aware it was still running”

Noah snorted a small laugh as he put them on the counter “They’re all over the country now, Ma”

“Hm. I still remember when Jack used to always use your love for these things to get out of work”

Noah laughed and nodded as he took the box out of the bag and nudged Natasha to make some coffee to go with it. He remembered that clear as day. It was literally every time he was in the office.

_ Daniel and Peggy were going through some cases in Peggy’s office. Being the Director, she certainly had her own space now, which was a big step up from her SSR days. Their six year old was around here somewhere. Evelyn was at daycare whilst they were at work which was normal, but Noah was here with them today when he was supposed at school but there was some situation about part of the roof caving in due to the storm they had last week. And he claims he was too big to be in daycare, it helps with all the agents around this place treating him like their own, he’s just as protected here than he would be in daycare. Plus they know he’d have more fun. _

_ As showed by the door opening with Jack coming through with Noah on his shoulders. Noah didn’t waste anytime and quickly asked “Momma. Pops. Can Uncle Jack take me out to go get donuts?” _

_ Peggy looked to Daniel, who had his eyes on her before looking to Jack and Noah “Donuts, huh? The ones from the corner” _

_ “Duh, pops, they are my favourite” _

_ Jack let out a small laugh as he held onto Noah’s legs, feeling Noah rest his hands on then his head on top of his and said “Uncle Jack said he would” _

_ “Hm” Peggy muttered, raising her eyebrows with her eyes still on the case file before looking up to them and said “And doesn’t Uncle Jack have any work he should be doing?” _

_ “Take my lunch break?” _

_ “Come on momma” Noah moaned. _

_ Jack tilted his head and mocked “Yeah come on momma” _

_ Peggy shot him a sarcastic amused look on then sighed as she took her eyes back to her son, shrugging and nodding “Alright. As long as you bring us back one” _

_ “Okay!” Noah said with excitement “I know what your favourites are” he added, then slapping Jack’s shoulders and tugging on them like he was his own personal horse “Let’s go!” _

_ “Alright alright, I can only go so fast, kiddo” _

Natasha came up behind him and put the cups down in front of him. Subtly pressing her body against his. Which made him smirk. Noah looked to Steve and Peggy and noticed the sudden awkward atmosphere that was between them two. Which he found odd and confusing since they had been getting on really well ever since they broke the ice and talked last night, it almost seems like they had gone back to square one where they didn’t know where to look or what to say.

“You two alright? You’re acting weird”

Peggy looked away from Steve and put on a smile again “We’re fine, love”

Noah heard Natasha then whisper as she walked past “They are so not fine,  _ love _ ” Noah looked over his shoulder to her and her teasing smirk as she walked over to the couch. Noah chose to ignore her, though her whispering to him like that was sending shivers down his spine. This whole seeing each other in secret has literally only been happening for a few hours and it was already the best thing he had ever done.

Noah looked back to Peggy and asked “What’s going on?”

Peggy stared at him, giving a quick glance to Steve and then shrugged as she crossed her arms and shook her head “Nothing. Honestly. Now did you get my favourite or have you forgotten?”

“You’re kidding me right?” Noah slid her the jam and cream filled donut and smirked to her “I never forget”

Peggy grinned to him and pulled it towards her even more. Noah walked over to Natasha, with their donuts in one hand and their cups of coffee in the other. He was blessed in the art of multitasking. He sat beside her and she draped her leg over his. This wouldn’t exactly draw attention, she always did this. Taking a bite of his donut, he looked to Steve and Peggy again and said “So what do you think is wrong with them”

Natasha looked to them and shrugged “Maybe we almost walked into something”

Noah’s head snapped to her “You think?”

Natasha shrugged “They did seem a little shifty when we walked in. Could’ve been something good and could’ve been something bad” Natasha put her hand on his arm and raised her brows to him “But it’s their business”

Noah sighed and sunk into the couch as she added “You wouldn’t want either of them hounding you about us would you?”

“I guess not”

Natasha slid her hand off his arm and landed on his leg “Just let whatever happens happen. Sure she’ll tell you when there is something you’ll need to know”

She spoke sense, as per usual. Natasha kept her eyes on him a little while longer and slowly nodded to him as she gave him a soft look that said  _ ‘Okay?’ _ when he returned the look that gave her the answer, she patted his leg and the took hold of her food.

* * *

Peggy couldn’t stop thinking about what had almost happened between her and Steve this morning. She sat on her newly founded bed and just pondered. Peggy looked down to her ring and twirled it around her finger again. Peggy closed her eyes, with some stray tears running down her cheeks. Then sighed and cursed to herself for crying. 

_ ‘Stop crying. Enough crying’ _

Peggy rested her head in her hand and took in a deep breath. She opened her eyes and looked down to the photos that were on her bed. It was a family album, Evelyn had given it to her when she went to visit her this afternoon. Peggy had been flicking through it for over an hour now. She was in a fair few, but she wasn’t bothered about the ones she was in. She was bothered about the ones she wasn’t in, Peggy hadn’t seen her children grow up and this was like her only way.

Noah smiled on rare occasions for the pictures, other times he’s just putting one on. She can tell which ones were fake and which ones were a genuine happy smile. It was when he was with his  _ extended family  _ along with Evelyn where his smiles were real. There were some that Evelyn took when he didn’t notice. Her favourite was a black and white one of Noah sat by the window, laughing at the camera and capturing the moment he realised she was taking photos of him.

She found herself staring at the pictures of Daniel too. She wished there were pictures of him old and grey, she wished he could have lived a full life. But the time he did have, it looked like he tried to stay happy as much as possible. She could see the heartbreak in his eyes, though, she had them at some point before he mended her heart. She wished someone could have fixed his. Maybe he wouldn’t have died if he moved on, but that was his choice, it was his choice to hold on to that hope which was something she could be grateful for deep down and appreciate.

Evelyn seemed her happiest when she was in the military funnily enough, helping little kids in the third world countries, she also seemed to make quite a few friends. Including her girlfriend that sadly died during the fighting in iraq. It was when she got home that she met her husband and settled down, he was the doctor that saved her life after the explosion that killed Nancy, her girlfriend, then he just helped her through her grief. Became friends and clearly became more. It seems both of her children have been through the wars,  _ literally _ .

Peggy closed the book and brought her hands back to resting on her lap, linking her hands together and once again staying in thought. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath and as she slowly took off her wedding and engagement ring, it was an emotional process, even though her eyes were shut her tears slipped out and ran down her cheeks, taking in a shaky breath and then looking to her side table as she placed her rings down on it “I’m sorry” she whispered.

She stared at them and gulped heavily, roughly rubbing her palms against her legs and slowly shaking her head. Peggy pressed her palms against her forehead.

_ “Daniel, wait!” Peggy yelled in a whisper, wrapping her robe around her body as she followed him down the stairs. Daniel shook his head as he put his handle on the door “I’m sorry” _

_ “What are you apologising for?” she asked as they both stopped at the front door. Daniel took in a deep breath and then said “Noah. He called me dad” _

_ Peggy tucked her hair behind her hears and folded her arms. It sounded odd to her too, but it was also nice and comforting. Noah didn’t feel like he a missing piece, granted he had only just turned three and wouldn’t feel that kind of emotion so early in his life but still, he sees Daniel as his dad. And Peggy was in love with him so she couldn’t see how it was a lose. _

_ “Well, isn’t that a good thing?” _

_ “No-well yeah it is it’s just…” _

_ “What?” _

_ “It gave me the reality check that I’m not. I shouldn’t even be here. He should” _

_ Peggy closed her eyes and rubbed her lips together, shaking her head “Daniel-” _

_ “You think it too. I know you do. I know you wish Steve was here” _

_ Peggy looked away from him, not really sure how to answer that. Either way she felt that either answer made her seem bad. And Daniel didn’t say it to make her feel bad or add any guilt, he was just expressing how he felt. She sighed and shrugged “For different reasons than what you are thinking. I would want him to know his son” _

_ “You know as well as I do that I wouldn’t be in the picture if he was here” _

_ Peggy sighed and shrugged “I don’t know what you want me to say. Life didn’t plan out that way, it doesn’t matter on what if. You’re here. I want you here” Peggy walked forward and grabbed hold of his jacket “With me. With us” _

_ Daniel looked at her, deep in the eyes and shook his head as he said in what could be described as a wounded whisper “I’m never gonna be him, Peggy. I can never make you feel what you felt when you were with him” _

_ “I don’t expect you to. I don’t expect you to be him or make me remember what it was like to be with him. I want you to be you so I can live in the moment and feel what I feel when I am with you because I can say with my whole heart Daniel, I feel happy when I am with you and I am my happiest when it’s the three of us” _

_ He could tell how she avoided telling im how she was deeply feeling about Steve. Hearing her talk how she felt about him was all well and good but still he wondered if there was a deeper reason as to why she kept him still locked up. Peggy sighed and rubbed his arm “So come back to bed?” _

_ Daniel softly smiled to her and nodded as she took him by the hand and led him back upstairs. Even though he had those thoughts in his mind, he still couldn’t stop himself from being stupid amounts of in love with her. _

Peggy got up from her bed, she couldn’t just sit there forever and wallow in self pity thinking about her old love coming back to her and feeling guilty about it because of her dead husband. Her life sounded like a soap opera. She went for a shower, got into some slacks and then went into the kitchen to make herself a cup of tea to take to bed.

Noah wasn’t anywhere to be seen. In fact the whole kitchen was empty. They did have the whole floor to themselves she at least expecting one of her guys to be in the living area or something, but no. No-one. Peggy made herself the tea and took herself back to her room, as she turned the corner to it. There stood Steve in the hall, he was outside her door. His hand hesitating to knock on her door, clearly he thought she was in there.

Peggy glanced down to her cup and cleared her throat as she walked towards him. Making him jump and turn to her “Oh. Hey I thought you were…”

“In there. I gathered by your hovering outside my door” Peggy said with a small smile. Steve slid his hands in his jogging pants pockets, her eyes skimmed his bare arms as all he was wearing was a rather tight white vest. After the airy silence, Steve cleared his throat and said “I just wanted to make sure that we were okay...since this morning when-”

“We’re fine” Peggy quickly answered, she sighed and shook her head “My head is just a little messy right now Steve”

“I get it. Really I do. I wasn’t here to ask about us I was here to just make sure that you were okay”

She smiled again and rubbed his arm, saying in a whisper “Thank you, I promise I’m okay”

“Good...well goodnight”

“Goodnight”

Steve stared at her for a moment, he then touched her head and leaned forward. Pressing his lips on her forehead, she kept her eyes closed as he did so and took in a deep soothing breath. Steve pressed his forehead against hers for a brief moment before pulling back and muttered “ _ Dream of me _ ”

Peggy rolled her eyes with a smirk as she put her hand on the door handle “How cliche of you to quote such an old saying”

When they were apart in the war and wrote to each other due to Steve being out with Commandos or something, they would both write _ dream of me  _ at the end of their letters. Even when they were in the same base but couldn’t spend the actual night together, they’d whisper it to each other on different nights.

“You know me. I’m sentimental” 

“We both are” Peggy smiled. They gave each other another loving gaze, he then turned and walked down the hall as she went in her room.

* * *

“I like this new level of our friendship” Natasha said, catching her breath. Her back against the wall as Noah’s body was against hers. Noah smiled and cupped her face before kissing her again “It’s working for me too” 

“Do you think we’ve been obvious already?”

“The only thing we’ve added on is this. Pretty sure the resting on each other on couches and arms over one another have always been a thing”

“I always said you always want your hands on me” Natasha teased as she lightly kissed his lips. Noah muttered a laugh “Your hands are no strangers to the odd wander”

Natasha gripped onto the back waistline of his jeans and grinned against his lips, saying in a heavy whisper “Tell me about it”

Noah wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in even closer to him. He rubbed his nose against hers and looked into her eyes, smirking at her and then whispered “You know. I always knew you were hot, but doing this with you makes me realise just how hot you really are”

Natasha lightly laughed and tilted her head to him “You’re really trying to sweet talk me”

Noah rolled his eyes and bowed his head, still holding onto her waist. He heard her giggle “No it’s nice. You’re making an effort I’m kind of honoured. It’s just weird I’ve never heard you trying to seduce before”

Noah looked back to her, just waiting for the teasing to end. But she couldn’t help but add on “How many times out of ten does that work out for you”

“Got you to sleep with me didn’t I?”

“So... _ one _ ”

Noah laughed and shook his head “And I’m alright with it just being one from now on”

Natasha pointed to him as he went in to kiss her and said “You just did it again”

“Nat. Shut up” Noah gripped onto her face again and returned his lips back to hers. These late night meetings of their were getting more and more interesting. 


	20. Chapter 20

Two weeks past. Peggy was eased back into SHIELD. She was based more in the avengers tower for now, coming in the HQ now and then. She wasn’t ready to jump into work just yet, she was fifty years out of the job it will take some getting used to, especially since the world has shifted so much without her even noticing. Right now she was like a tutor in a way for Noah. She knew this place better than anyone even after all these years and although he was an excellent agent, there was always room for improvement. Noah talked with his fists a lot of the time, Peggy worked with him to help him work with his brain more. Telling him that he has to get more certain in places before he went there and causing chaos. 

Peggy looked up as she sat beside him at the desk in the tower on the working level, watching the likes of Maria Hill walk around, she owned this place. Everywhere she walked she just owned, men quaked if she was pissed. And then there was Natasha and a handful more female agents who seemed to have more authority than some of the men “I see the sexism of this place has faded away”

Noah looked up to what led her to say that and then nodded as he looked back at the case file “Yeah well. Any guys that said anything towards women in a degrading way were shown very clearly not to”

“There’s a story behind that” Peggy muttered.

Noah looked to her “Makes you say that?”

“The way you said it” Peggy tilted her head to him and raised her eyebrows “Care to share”

Noah sat back in his chair, he looked to Natasha and shrugged “It was a few years ago…”

_ 2005 _

_ Natasha had only been at SHIELD for about nine months now, and she felt closest to Noah even though he was still a pretty closed up person. Still, he liked her company though not admitting it. He hardly admits to anything. They were walking down the hallway of the SHIELD base, on their way to see Nick. When he heard two agents come up behind them. Male agents that just passed the academy, but more importantly they were jackasses, both sexist and degrading towards women as he was about to learn. _

_ “She’s been here a few months” one muttered to the other, then having the other mutter back _

_ “SHIELD have got their shit together” _

_ “We all know why women get so highly put up. For our own pleasure” _

_ Natasha could hear them, she wasn’t deaf or stupid. She heard them loud and clear, but she learned how to ignore it. The arrogance and ignorance. Noah however was not so forgiving or understanding, he looked over his shoulder and saw the Agent who spoke first made a hand action of groping her from behind. _

_ His hands were so close to her that he quickly grabbed hold of his wrist before pushing his chest and then held him against the wall by putting his hand to his neck and saying as he did so “What’s your problem, man?” _

_ “Wha-” _

_ “You think you got a right to talk about her that way now cause you’ve graduated the fucking academy. You got nothing on her. Do you know where you are right now?” _

_ He gulped heavily and nodded. Noah then snarled “Where are you right now?” _

_ “SHIELD…” _

_ “Yeah” Noah nodded “Co founder and Director was Peggy Carter. A woman who could kick your ass far better than I ever could so you just remember that you are in an organisation that respects women. And was ruled by them. If I hear you talking about Agent Romanoff again in that way or any other female Agent so help you god you’ll regret it. Understood?” _

_ All he could do was nod. Noah looked to his friend and said “That applies to everyone” _

_ His friend gulped heavily and then nodded, Noah threw the Agent that was still in his grasp out of the way and turned to Natasha as the dust settled. He knew what he was going to say and he said “I know. You can handle yourself. That was for my benefit as well as yours” he then sighed and muttered as he carried on walking “Can’t stand bastards like that” _

_ Natasha watched him carry on walking and smirked before joining him again. _

Noah shrugged to her again as he sat back up “And that’s the end of the story”

“You…” Peggy stopped herself and then cleared her throat as he looked away, rubbing her fingers together as she thought for a moment, Noah looked to Peggy “What? Momma”

Peggy licked her bottom lip and looked back to Noah, letting out a small laugh and shrugging “You just sound like your dad. Steve”

She remembered how angry he would get when someone spoke about her in a lewd way. Most people wouldn’t guess but he was a hot head. Never at her or people he loved, but towards people who clearly had no respect. Those were the people that made his blood boil. Gilmore Hodge was one of them indeed. She thought of that time they were in the pub back in london.

_ They were together but with it being in secret they didn’t exactly cuddle together at the table. She was sat with him though, sat beside him and Dugan as the rest of the commandos surrounded the table. _

_ Even though their relationship was in secret and they kept it well under wraps, people always commented on their closeness. It’s been like that even before they got together. The commandos, Steve and Peggy kept to themselves as a group. They were the only ones who knew about it. They were sat near the bar, Hodge went over and put the pints of beer on the bar and demanded for another. He leaned against the bar and turned to look at Peggy “Agent Carter. What do ya say I buy you a drink?” _

_ “I say that I am fine with the drink that I have right here” Peggy said, holding up her glass. _

_ Hodge looked at the commandos and captain look at him and laughed “Oh come on fellas. She’s practically the only decent dame in this base what’s a man to do” _

_ Peggy looked away from him, lightly scratching her forehead and praying he doesn't say anything too stupid. But it seems god wanted to be entertain tonight. Because Hodge went on to say as he turned back to the bar “Best way to get a dame like that to do what you want is to get her drunk” he said in a mutter, trying to avoid anyone from really hearing it. But being drunk he said it louder than he thought. _

_ Peggy looked up, her eyes going above Hodge and to the right hand corner of the pun ceiling as she whispered to Steve “Leave it alone” she saw how his hand was clutching onto the glass. She then added “You’ll break the bloody thing in a minute” _

_ Steve kept his eyes on Hodge and muttered “You’re damn right” _

_ It took Peggy a second to realise that he wasn’t talking about the glass. Peggy looked at him and saw as he went to rise from his chair, she tugged onto his jacket but he carried on. She sighed and threw her hands off of his sleeve as she couldn’t hold onto him for much longer. Peggy looked to Bucky who was across the way from her and nodded to Steve. Bucky’s eyes flew to his best friend and the next thing he knew. Steve had his hand on Hodge’s jacket and was in his face. Demanding he’d show Peggy respect. Saying that lewd thoughts like that aren’t welcome here. Bucky stood up and put his hands on Steve’s shoulder, he cleared his throat and said in a breathless laugh to try and lighten the mood “Come on, Steve. He ain’t worth getting blood on your jacket” _

_ Steve looked over his shoulder to Peggy. Hodge wasn’t worth it. But she was. He saw how she shook her head to him. Wanting him to not take it any further. Steve looked back to Hodge and muttered in a stern voice “Don’t ever come near her. I’ll kick your ass. If she don’t beat me to it” he threw his hand off of Hodge and walked back over to the table. Peggy watched Hodge as he straightened his jacket, grabbed his beer and walked away. She looked to him as he sat down beside her. Steve sighed as he sat down on the seat and looked to her, they didn’t say anything. He just kept his eyes on hers as he finished the glass of whiskey. Her eyes just told him that she was grateful. _

_ She thanked him later in private. _

Noah stared at her as she gazed off for a moment “Ma”

“Yeah. Hm. What?” Peggy looked to him, Noah looked to her for a moment longer and then laughed at her “You totally spaced out just then”

“Living in the past for a moment” she muttered in a laugh, she then tapped the case file “Come on then”

“I feel like I’m eight again doing my homework” Noah muttered as he sat up straight in his chair and took hold of his pen again. Peggy laughed and rubbed his back, she looked up and saw Steve walk past with Clint beside him. She hardly saw him this morning. She felt like he was keeping himself busy for some reason, to avoid her or something. He was constantly nervous. She guessed that he was just nervous that he’d do or say something that would make her feel uncomfortable or even upset her. Last time they almost kissed had her freaked which caused him to be  _ extra  _ cautious in not overstepping any kind of boundary.

Noah looked to Peggy’s hand and said as he motioned his hand to it “Where’d you keep the ring?”

Peggy looked down to her hand and said “Beside my bed” she looked to Noah who just nodded “Is it weird?”

“Seeing you without your wedding ring on? A little” Noah lightly laughed “But em. I guess it was needed, with it still on it would still be like living in the past. You’re not a wife anymore”

Peggy softly sighed and ran her fingers through the side of Noah’s hair “I’ll always be your dad’s wife...just in another life that’s all”

Noah smiled sweetly to her. But she didn’t need to say things like that just to please him and his feelings, even Evelyn’s for that matter. Daniel wasn’t coming back and they’ve all just had to accept it.

* * *

“A what?” Natasha laugh as she sat on the couch along with Noah, Peggy and Steve. With Clint and Bruce sat on separate arm chairs and Pepper stood beside Tony as they both stood before them. 

“A party, Romanoff. It one of those things where a bunch of people get together. There’s music, drinking. Perhaps the odd case of a drunken time in the closet with someone” Tony wittingly said. Causing Natasha to roll her eyes. Noah smirked to her and then asked as he looked back to Tony and Pepper “What’s the occasion?”

“We’ve been living here for two weeks now and there had been no party. We need a welcome party” Tony said as he crossed his arms, thinking that he made the best point. Pepper looked from him to the rest of them and their unconvinced faces and put it bluntly “Tony just wants to have a party”

They all nodded at them in total agreement. Tony went to deny it but he then saw no point, he threw his hands and walked away, then calling “Tomorrow night!”

The rest of the group were silent for a moment, Noah cleared his throat and said “Well. I’ll call Sharon”

“I might give Kate a buzz about it” Clint said as he took his phone out of his pocket. Both Noah and Natasha looked to him, Natasha smirked and said “She old enough to be up past ten?”

Peggy lightly slapped her former students knee and said to the giggling pair “Leave him alone”

Noah’s laughter died down as he looked to Natasha, with a smirk. He then announced “So yeah I’m gonna go give her a call like I said”

Natasha looked to him with an eyebrow raised “Did she talk to you about those numbers?”

Noah shook his head. Natasha groaned “Fine. I’ll come with you so I can talk to her about it, let’s go” she slapped his leg and stood up with him to follow.

There was no numbers and no call to Sharon, sure he’d call her later but all he really wanted was Natasha. They laughed quietly as Natasha pulled him into her bedroom. He picked her up and carried her over to the bed and heavily dropped her, she laughed against his lips and gripped onto his back, as his body rubbed against hers and he kissed her neck. She couldn’t help but ask “Hey, Noah?”

“Hey. Natasha” Noah muttered as he kissed her chest. Natasha rolled her eyes and gripped onto the back of his head and pulled it up for him to look at her. He looked into her eyes and heard her ask “When do you think we’ll tell people about us? And by people I mean you’re mom since she was the one you were anticipating the most”

She knew it was her idea at first to keep it on the down low. But she was just meaning a few days. Not weeks.

Noah sighed as he pressed his hands down beside her on the mattress “Can we give it a little more time, I just want to focus on helping her out a little without all the attention this will bring”

Natasha stared at him and then cracked a small smile and nodded “Sure. I just wanted to know where we stood”

Noah smiled and nodded and returned to kissing her. As he did, she frowned. Which didn’t go noticed by him but she still did it. She didn’t want this to be a secret. She didn’t want to be his secret. This, right now with him. The relationship though it was new, was the best thing in her life right now. It was the thing she took most pride in. It had only been two weeks, going on three. But she didn’t know how much secrecy she could take anymore. But for now, Natasha just soaked in the moment she had with him, she cupped his cheeks and rolled them over to be lay on top of him. She sat up for a moment to remove her shirt and then put her lips back onto his.

“Did I ever tell you that you’re the best friend I ever had?”

Natasha laughed and put her hand over his mouth for a moment as she chuckled.

* * *

A little while on, after talking to Sharon. Who said she’d be attending to the party. Noah and Natasha went out with Clint, they’d fly by SHIELD to drop off some case files and then they were just going around the city, they liked to get out once in awhile. 

Peggy went to visit to visit Angie’s grave, she had just gone to Daniel’s. She liked to fit both in. It wasn’t the first time she’s been, she had been back here for almost three weeks. She had come plenty of times before. Peggy stopped in front of the grave and softly smiled “Hello you” she tucked her hands in her cream trench coat pockets and looked to her shoes “I don’t know what there is to tell you today. Apart from the fact Tony, Howard’s son has organised a party. Everyone seems fairly up for it...I think Steve is...to be honest I don’t know how to talk to him ever since we almost kissed”

Peggy took her eyes back to the grave “I know what you would be saying to me. You’d be telling me to go for it, that Daniel would want me to happy because you said the same thing when it was the other way around...and you’re right he would want me to be happy...it’s just..” Peggy shook her head as she looked back down to the ground, taking in a deep breath “It’s not that I feel like I’m betraying Daniel” her voice began to wobble as her eyes filled up. She looked up and out to the distance and said in an emotional voice “It’s erm…I’m scared. Of losing Steve again of losing that love again because I seem to always lose...”

She had to stop herself from sobbing, she covered her hand with her mouth “You never met him but you knew how much I loved him. I’ve said this before but it was a different kind of love. A once in a lifetime kind of thing and now that I have it right in front of me I’m just scared that it’ll go again”

It was a common fear, it wasn’t unnatural. A fear of losing someone that you once lost, and when you loved that person as much as Peggy loved Steve. It was more than understandable that she was feeling this way. She had many fears from the things that happened in her past. Peggy took a deep breath through her nose and stared at the grave “I wish I could hear your voice right about now. I need a smile” she thought of her voice, that would just have to do. It did do the trick.

_ “Y’know english. Out of all these months we’ve known each other, you never told me who the father is” _

_ Peggy looked up from her one month old son sleeping in his crib, Peggy stared at her and muttered “Haven’t I?” _

_ “Nope” _

_ Peggy looked back to Noah who had his entire hand wrapped around Peggy’s finger . He was so small. Peggy stared at him and felt like crying. She wished Steve was here right now with here, Angie saw her friend’s eyes gloss over with tears and felt suddenly guilty “Oh god! Peggy I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to make you cry! Please don’t cry” _

_ Peggy waved her and said in a weak tone “It’s alright. It’s alright Angie...it’s just...Noah’s father is a sensitive topic...I still need time to be able to talk about him, all I can tell you right now is that he was a good man...who died saving the world” _

_ “The war. He was in the army” _

_ Peggy nodded, the corners of her mouth tugging up “Yes, yes he was” _

_ “I’m sorry, Peggy, it’s awful” she put her hand on Peggy’s shoulder and said “You know you can always come to me for a talk. No matter what state we may both be in” _

_ Peggy smiled and nodded “I do. Thank you Angie” _

Peggy ran her hand over Angie’s grave and smiled sweetly to it as she whispered “Thank you”

She just needed to vent, to let it all out and feel some sense of being level headed. She couldn’t talk to Steve about this, she didn’t want him to feel bad or feel guilty that he was one of the reasons she was so emotionally conflicted, which was through no fault of his own. It was just her.

* * *

When Peggy got back home. No one was home, no one apart from Steve. Well there were people around but on different floors. This was their space and their home. Peggy ran her fingers through her hair as she took off her long black coat and hung it up. Steve was sat in the living room, he smiled to her and turned the volume down on the tv and tossed the remote to the side.

“Hey. You’ve been gone a while”

“Yes well I went to see Evelyn, then visited the cemetery” Peggy dropped herself down beside Steve and let out an exhausted breath. Steve looked to her “You alright?”

“I’m fine” she tightly smiled to him, then softened and became more sweet and loving “Promise”

Steve smiled back to her and gulped heavily as his eyes went up and down from her lips to her mouth. Peggy’s breath felt like it was getting caught in her throat because she knew if she didn’t show any indication. He would kiss her. And she wanted him to so badly. But her mind kept shifting her choices. But she made one from her gut. Action upon was he was thinking to do, she leaned forward, put her hand on his cheek and kissed him. Steve didn’t waste time, he wrapped his arms around her and brought her close.

And for those three seconds, she sunk and felt her heart physically beginning to heal. Then suddenly, more contradictions came into her head and she pulled away and stood up “No Steve”

Steve sighed and remained sat on the sofa, Peggy pressed the palm of her hands together and held them to her mouth “I can’t”

“Yeah...you said that last time” Steve muttered, nodding his head but still avoiding eye contact with her. When there was a silence, that’s when he looked to her “Peggy. We have another chance here”

“I’m married”

Steve sighed and lightly slapped his hand down on the arm of the sofa that he was sat on “You’re...I understand that it’s hard. But Daniel is-”

“Don’t talk about Daniel as if you knew him” Peggy snapped. Which Steve just took and sighed under his breath. He then shook his head “That’s not what I’m trying to do, what I’m trying to say is that you have spent 54 years on your own. I understand that thinking about moving on with Daniel not being here anymore must be hard-”

“It was hard the first time with you!” Peggy raised her voice with tears quickly filling her eyes up. Taking Steve by surprise, Peggy just dropped her hands and let out a shaky breath, holding her hand to her mouth for a moment and then quickly bringing it back down as she said “What did you think happened? Did you think that as soon as you  _ dropped dead _ I went on with my life and married Daniel within a few months? I was on my own with  _ our  _ son for two years before I allowed myself to even get close to Daniel!”

Peggy began to walk outside to the balcony, Steve quickly followed her out “Peggy-”

She then spun around to him, tears falling down her cheeks “Do you know that he almost died after I gave birth to him?”

Steve remained silent but his heart completely dropped. Peggy quickly wiped her tears and carried on talking “His heart began to fail pretty much straight after I gave birth to him, the doctors told me that they were doing everything they could but he was really struggling and I…” she was getting so choked up that she could barely even speak “I thought my baby was going to die. He was  _ all  _ I had and I thought he was going to die”

“Pegs…” Steve whispered as he put his hand on her arm. 

Peggy then sobbed hard “And when I was in that hospital room, waiting to hear if he was going to live or die...I wanted you to hold me”

Steve pulled her to him and hugged onto her tightly, Peggy let out a few more sobs before letting out a cry “And I begged for you and cried for you and I  _ wanted  _ you”

Steve cradled her head and let out a shaky breath “You know I would have been there if I could”

Peggy nodded as she held onto him tight, then pulling away and looking into his eyes, she let out a tearful breath, putting her hand on his cheek and slowly running it down his cheek, she shook her head as she rubbed her lips together “I close up because now that I actually have you right in front of me I know something that scares me”

Steve looked into her eyes but remained silent, he was already asking her for the end of that sentence by just the curious look he was giving her, Peggy hitched her breath and finally admitted in a cry “I still love you”

Steve looked at her with a mix of love and sympathy, he saw how much it took for her to come to terms with that. He leaned forward and lightly pressed his lips against hers. This time she let him, this time she sunk into it even though tears were still running down her cheeks, she put her hand on the back of his head, their lips broke apart for a brief moment as she repeated in a sob “I still love you”

They kissed once more before Steve hugged her tightly again and lightly rocked her side to side. Steve kept his eyes closed “I love you too”   

“I can’t stop being afraid of losing you anymore” Peggy stroked the back of his neck and whispered “Because it’s driving me crazy. Not being with you is killing me”

“I’m not doing so good without you either” Steve lightly chuckled, he pulled back and cupped her cheeks, looking into her eyes “Please open your heart to me again Peggy”

“I gave it to you a long time” Peggy whispered, holding onto his wrist “You still have a huge piece of it…” she lightly kissed his lips “You’ll always have my heart, Steve”

Steve smiled and whispered as he wrapped his arms back around her “I love you so much” he put his lips back onto hers and stayed there, they both could have stayed there forever.

Peggy at last felt like she had all the pieces of her life put back together.


	21. Chapter 21

When Noah got home. He saw that Steve and Peggy were at together on the couch and were practically snuggling. Natasha looked to Noah who cleared his throat and briefly clenched his jaw. She said nothing, she just patted his back and said “I’m gonna go see Pepper” 

He said nothing, he just heard her walk off. Noah opened the glass door and stepped down into the living room, when they heard him they pulled apart. They wanted to be together but they didn’t want to throw it in Noah’s face they wanted to just tell him. And Noah, for a guy who said he would be okay with it felt odd about the situation. He thought he would be fine, he knew that it would happen. Just seeing his mother with someone who isn’t Daniel was an odd feeling and he wasn’t sure if he even liked it.

“Hi, love” Peggy smiled, putting her hand on the back of her neck, then patting on the couch to the spot beside her “Come sit”

He suddenly felt ten years old again. Having to sit down for big news, which is what they were doing. Peggy still saw him as a little boy he’d have to forgive her on that. But he kind of liked the fact that she gave him the tender loving care she gave him when he was a child. Through everything he’s been through he needed that. Noah sat down and looked to them, back and forth and then said “Are two sitting me down to ease me into  _ this _ ? ”

Peggy looked to Steve from over her shoulder, she looked back to him and said “Noah we are just...we can’t-”

“Stay away” Noah then softly smiled “Momma it’s fine. You and Steve were always bound to reconnect. I’m a big boy, I’m good. I’d rather you get back with Steve then find someone new”

Steve squinted his eyes to him and said “Thank you?”

Noah nodded and raised his brows to him before looking back to Peggy and seeing her slightly unconvinced face “Were you expecting me to have a tantrum?”

“No” Peggy shook her head. Then seeing  _ his  _ unconvinced face. She rolled her eyes and muttered “Maybe slightly”

“I’m not the tantrum kind of guy” Noah laughed “I’d like to think that’s how you remember me anyway”

Peggy sat back and looked to Steve “He’s right. Noah was more of the punch first and ask later kind of boy” Steve looked to Noah, he raised his hand and said to him “Don’t worry, Steve you’re safe”

Steve exhaled an amused puff through his nose as he smiled to Noah.

_ “Captain Rogers. Dr Banner requested you come to see him”  _ the voice of JARVIS said. Steve sighed and looked to them both “I won’t be long” he subtly rubbed Peggy’s leg before standing up and leaving them.

Peggy then looked to Noah “How do you really feel?”

Noah sighed and shrugged “It’s a little weird. Seeing you with someone else”

“I understand that. But Noah, Steve makes me happy”

Noah rubbed his forehead “Momma do you love Steve?”

Peggy stared at him for a moment and then said in a whisper “Yes. I do”

“And dad?”

“I’ll always love your dad. That’s not going to go away. But I want to be happy, with you and Evelyn I am happy in the respect of a mother having her children back but…”

Noah got it, he gave her a look that told her that he got it so she didn’t ramble like she tended to do when trying to explain something sensitive. Peggy softly smiled to him and said “I’m lucky to have to have such an understanding boy. Do you think Evelyn will be okay with it all?”

“Yeah. She’s as cool as they come. If anything she’ll be rooting for you” Noah said with a light laugh. Noah put his hand on her shoulder and pulled her in close for a hug “I just want you to be happy, momma. That’s all I want”

“You too, baby” Peggy whispered as she held onto him tighter.

* * *

Later, in the night. Peggy found Steve in Noah’s room. If she didn’t know any better she’d say he was snooping. Peggy quietly gasped and then whispered to him “You’ll get hung drawn and quartered if he found you in here”

Steve turned to her and laughed as he laid his hands on the side of the box. He glanced down to it and said “Yeah he actually sent me in here to grab a hard drive that Fury wanted. Then these caught my eye…”

Peggy walked over and muttered “I remember when he found me in his room looking through his books” she raised her eyebrows to him “I felt like he was going to ground me”

Steve chuckled “I can imagine”

Peggy stood beside him and looked down to what he had discovered, her jaw slightly dropped as she picked one of them up “I can’t believe he kept these”

“You never mentioned he read comics about me” Steve muttered with a proud smirk still written across his face. Peggy kept her eyes on the comic and shrugged “I suppose it slipped my mind. I was rather busy trying to keep my temptations of you under control”

“Well. That’s one mission you failed”

“First time for everything” Peggy said as she put the comic back down, Peggy went behind him and wrapped her arms around his back, kissing his shoulder before resting her chin on it “He loved reading them, reading about you. Like I’ve told you before you were always in his life, just in a more discrete way…he looked up to  _ Captain America  _ very much”

She turned her head to him and saw how his smile slowly began to slip. She looked at him, confused. She would have thought that would have made him smile even more not frown “What is it?”

“I feel like…” Steve sighed, feeling that he sounded pretty pathetic “I feel like I’m more of some imaginary character to him rather than a father. More like some kind of unrealistic role model”

“Every boy’s role model is his father” Peggy whispered “You were. As was Daniel. He looked up to you just as much. Noah said that you were his favourite  _ superhero _ because he thought you were honest and good” she kissed his shoulder again. Steve rubbed her hands that were resting at his stomach. He turned and kissed the top of her head as she then said “Just wait it out Steve. As long as you’re the Steve Rogers you’ve always been…everything will come together. Trust me”

Steve leaned his head against her a minute, she then petted his stomach and pulled away “We better get out of here before we both get grounded”

She took his hand and led him out of the bedroom. 

* * *

Soon enough, people were aware about Steve and Peggy. They all knew it was going to happen so it was hardly a shock to literally anyone. So the next night, at the party. They could be like a normal couple. Well kind of, they had to not be too much in front of their son. Being able to be publicly open about their relationship was something that they never had the chance to do before so this was in fact new to them. It was also pretty exciting. 

Natasha on the other hand, was becoming restless. She didn’t want a secret boyfriend, she didn’t want a secret relationship. Did Noah assume because she was a spy that it would be okay with her? Because it wasn’t.

It’s not like she wanted to parade it around the whole damn organisation. But she would at least like to be able to have a normal relationship, the only normal thing she was allowed to have. Noah was at the bar when Natasha walked over to him, he looked at her up and down and whistled “Look at you. Lookin like a million bucks”

_ “A million bucks he’d rather not spend”  _ she said in her mind before smiling to him and squeezing his arm “Thank you. You scrub up well too”

“I know” Noah smirked as he fixed up his jacket. This party wasn’t some black tie and gown party. It was as casual as they come. But still, they looked good. Natasha looked to him as he passed her her drink. She rubbed her lips together and sad “Noah?”

“Yeah?”

Natasha looked to Peggy who was talking to Pepper. Then she looked back to him and asked “When do you think you’ll tell your mom? Bout us that is” she said it in a tone which implied like it wasn’t some big deal. But deep down. It was important, Noah rubbed the palm of his hands together and shrugged “I don’t know”

That was not the answer she was looking for. She was hoping for  _ soon  _ or hell maybe even  _ tonight.  _ She couldn’t help but laugh “I’m beginning to think you’re embarrassed of me”

Noah laughed and shook his head as he nudged her “Shut up. That’s the least thing I am of you. It’s just...I mean we’ve talked bout this right? You get it?”

At first she got it. But now she is starting to think that it was just same lame excuse to not tell her and she couldn’t figure out why. Noah leaned forward and whispered “Sneak off in a bit, yeah?”

Natasha looked to him and teased “We’ll see” she walked away from him and walked away into the sea of people. Noah felt someone slap his back, he turned his head and saw Steve stand in front of them “Fun night?”

“No complaints so far. You?”

“Same” Steve nodded boldly as he looked down to his glass. Noah looked to his hands and then laughed “You suddenly nervous around me Steve?”

Steve looked up to him and let out an embarrassed laugh “I-”

“Cause you don’t need to be. If you were some random guy then yeah maybe but you’re not” Noah looked to Peggy and then back to him “I’m not angry anymore, cause I finally know the truth about everything, the plane and all. You did do the right thing. I see that now. You’re a good guy Steve” he then scoffed and mumbled “A good dad”

Steve stared at Noah, hardly even believing that those words had come out of his mouth. A burst of butterflies set out in his stomach, his heart began to beat so fast. That is the first time in  _ months _ that Noah addressed Steve as his father. Steve gulped heavily “Really?”

Noah looked to him as he sucked in a breath and breathed out through his nose as he slowly nodded “Yeah” he swigged back the rest of his beer and put it down on the bar. Slapping Steve’s arm he said “Don’t make a thing out of it”

“You know I’m gonna”

“Crap”

Steve laughed as Noah passed him. Steve looked to Peggy, who caught his eyes on her for a moment and smiled to him. Steve walked over to her and kissed her cheek which took her a little by surprise. She laughed and looked to him as Pepper looked at them sweetly “What was that for?”

“Nothing” Steve shrugged, Pepper put her hand on Peggy’s hand briefly as she said “I’ll talk to you in a bit, Peggy”

Peggy shifted her body round and pressed it against his as she put her arm around his back. Running her other hand over his chest. Steve looked to Noah over his shoulder, who was laughing and joking with Clint and Tony. He looked back to Peggy and whispered “Our kid is pretty great”

“Yes I always thought so” Peggy smirked.

“And apparently...I’m a good dad”

Peggy’s expression to him softened, she looked to Noah and said in a surprised tone “He said that”

“Sorry to surprise you” he laughed. Peggy shook her head with an amused grin and defended herself “No. I just. He’s not the most open of souls” she gripped onto his jacket loosely and nodded “But I always knew you’d be a good dad” her smile turned to a grin “Which is why I was always proud to be carrying your baby”

Steve pressed his forehead against her and whispered “Thank you, for giving me the greatest thing I could have ever asked for”

Peggy put her hand on his cheek and hummed as she smiled and then said “It was my pleasure”

Steve took hold of her hand as he guided her to outside on the balcony, where they shared their first kiss since being reunited. He rocked their linked hands back and forth as he leaned against the glass. Peggy looked to him, with her eyebrows raised to him “Are you alright, love?”

“Yeah” Steve smiled “Course I am. Just. I just wanted to ask you something”

Peggy squinted at him and teased “I’m not ready for marriage just yet, Steve”

Steve laughed and shook his head as they looked down to their linked hands. He cleared his throat as she moved closer and put her hand on his jacket, waiting for him to continue his sentence “I want to take you out. Y’know we’ve never actually been out on a real  _ real _ date not in the whole time we were together”

“Hm yes. Too much of that whole saving humanity thing we had to take care of”

Steve rolled his eyes “Always something”

Peggy muttered a laugh and then ran her hands from his waist to his jack underneath his jacket and moved her body closer to his “I would love to go out with you. Thank you for asking me”

“Well as far as relationships ago I’d say we’re well and truly ahead with a son and all”

Peggy looked to inside and teased “Oh is  _ that _ who he is?”

Steve laugh as he pulled her close and hugged her. Peggy kept a self-amused smile as nuzzled her head into the crook of his neck.

Back in the party. Noah saw Steve and Peggy outside, hugging and talking. It was the happiest he had seen Peggy since she got back here, and the same for Steve. At first, he thought he’d feel weird. That he wouldn’t even like it. But the more he saw it, the happier he felt. It was sort of poetic for them.  The kind of stuff you see at the movies.

Noah turned and looked for Natasha in the crowd. He felt like he hadn’t seen her all night, she was oddly distant. He grabbed a beer, and as he did so. He saw her across the room talking to Bruce. There was a sudden and surprising bubble of jealous rise through his body. He wasn’t the jealous type, well he thought he wasn’t anyway. Noah cleared his throat and walked over to them.

“Hey, Bruce, mind if I steal this one from you?”

“No. Not at all” Bruce said with a small smile. Noah smiled to him and then looked to Natasha and muttered “Nat” he walked down the hall to where it was more private. When alone. Noah turned to her and raised his brows “The hell was that?”

“The hell was what?”

“Were my eyes playing with me or did you…you like Bruce or something?”

Natasha sniggered a laugh, thinking he was kidding. When she saw he wasn’t, she was then who raised her eyebrows to him “You’re kidding right? Me and Bruce Banner? What movie are you living in?”

Noah sighed and looked away from her. She was right. It wasn’t like he thought she couldn’t speak to guys now that they were dating, he wasn’t that kind of guy. It was just the first time that he got jealous over her,  _ really _ jealous anyway. He reacted badly was all. Natasha could see it and understood, she crossed her arms and nodded “I get it. You got jealous”

“Just came up suddenly” Noah chuckled as he looked to her “Sorry”

“It’s fine…to be honest though. I don’t think you even have a right to get jealous”

Noah then pinched his eyebrows to her “I’m sorry-“

“You don’t get to be jealous because what even is this Noah? It’s been what? Like three weeks of whatever this is and nothing is developing?"

"You said-"

"Yes. A few days keep it quiet not _weeks_. You say you wanted to help your mom out with getting her life sorted and that’s noble and good, it’s one of the things I have always admired about you. But Noah. She’s fine now and happy…there’s another reason you don’t want this to go public. What is it?”

Noah sighed and remained silent. Natasha stared at him, searching for any kind of answer in his eyes. But she was getting nothing “Noah, you are the one good thing I have going on in my life. And although I’d take a bullet for you, you know that, it’s been like that for a good few years now. Even though I’d do that. I am  _ not _ going to be your dirty little secret”

“You’re not-“

“I deserve better” Natasha said bluntly “You either want to be with me. If you do, you’ll prove it. Until then” she shrugged “Maybe you should just stay in your room tonight instead of sneaking out, huh?”

Natasha began to walk away, Noah tried to take hold of her arm “Natasha…”

“That’s my truth Noah…what’s yours?”

Again it was silent. Natasha sighed and carried on walking away. Noah stood there for a moment and cleared his throat as he stood there alone. She was right though, there was another meaning. The thing with him was, he hesitated. He had fears in being alone. So, if he said out loud that Natasha and he were together. That she was finally his. He was scared something would happen to her to make that become untrue. But he didn’t realise that he was doing that himself.

He ran his fingers through his hair and kept his head down to the floor, nodding to himself a few times. He cleared his throat once again as he lifted his head and took a quick deep breath. Noah turned around and walked back into the party. He saw how Steve and Peggy just walked back in, Natasha was stood with Maria, literally in the centre of the room. Noah felt like he was a walking cliché for what he was about to do. Noah walked straight towards her, he wasn’t stopping for anyone. He just marched right over to her, he took her by the waist and pulled her close. Without even letting her think about it. He kissed her. Right there in front of everyone.

His parents, his friends.  _ Everyone _ . It made everyone just stop. They didn’t know what to do. Peggy slapped Steve’s stomach even though he was already watching. Maria just looked around to see if anyone would make eye contact with her in this moment. She met Sharon whose eyebrows were sky high but you could also tell she was insanely excited about this. Everyone knew that the pair of them secretly had a thing for each other but seeing it right in front of their eyes it was mind blowing. They never though either of them would fold.

Natasha put her hands to his cheeks, as his lips slowly pulled apart. She looked right into his eyes and said breathlessly “You did  _ that _ ”

Noah smirked and nodded “You were right. Hiding this is stupid”

Natasha smiled and lightly punched his chest “Now it’s hard to be mad at you”

“Well that’s why I did it. Just so I could sneak in your bedroom tonight”

Natasha laughed and put her forehead on his shoulder. Noah cleared his throat and looked up to everyone still having their eyes on them, he smiled and nodded “Yes. That did just happen”

Not really knowing what to do, everyone else just kind of got on with what they were doing before. Maria crossed her arms and smirked to them, letting out a quiet laugh. She looked to Natasha and just smirked to her before walking away and leaving them to it.

“You sure about this?” Natasha asked.

“Well. Kinda too late to turn back now” Noah laughed, he looked to her and shrugged “But yeah. I’m sure about you, Romanoff”

Natasha smirked “Don’t get too sentimental. Might cry”

Noah laughed and then looked up to see Peggy and Steve walk towards them “Look alive”

Natasha looked over her shoulder to see the pair walk over. Suddenly feeling a little bit nervous. It wasn’t every day that you had to talk to your former teacher and  _ protector _ about dating her son and having to live with him and his parents.

Peggy smirked to them both and raised her eyebrows “So. This is what  _ nothing is going on looks _ like is it?”

Noah held his hand out and laughed “In our defense nothing was till a couple of weeks ago”

Steve raised his eyebrows “Oh yeah? So what happened?”

Noah looked to Natasha who cleared her throat and shrugged, letting out a breathless laugh “Funny things can happen when in a…foreign country”

Peggy laughed “England? Something happened between you two when you were looking for me?”

“It was Steve’s fault he left us alone to help an old lady with her car” Noah shrugged. He looked to Steve and said “I suppose I should actually thank you for being too nice of a guy now”

Steve laughed “You’re welcome”

Peggy then grasped onto the fact that it had been weeks that they had been together, she looked to Noah and asked “Why didn’t you tell me? Tell us?”

Noah shrugged “I don’t know. Guess part of it was because I wanted to help you get better and the other part was” he looked to Natasha, realising that he hadn’t even told her this yet, he sighed and rubbed his forehead “I was a little scared that if we made it public and stuff that it would all be so real. Something could happen”

The three of them looked at him, with sympathy in their eyes. He shouldn’t have to be scared to be happy. Natasha smiled to him “Now that makes more sense”

Noah smiled softly to her and muttered “I’m sorry”

“I get it” Natasha nodded, patting his stomach “But thanks for overcoming it for me”

“Anytime”

They both looked back who had a small smile still written across her face, she looked to Natasha and said with a smirk “Look after my son” she then looked to Noah and poked is chest before pointing to him “And you. Look after her”

Noah poked her back and said “Okay”

“You do know your sister is going to hit the roof” Peggy said as she put her arm around Steve’s back. Noah rolled his eyes and nodded “Yes. I’m preparing for that. She’s going to say I told you so till she’d blue in the face”

“She had a right to” Natasha mumbled, then seeing Sharon walk over with a smug smirk on her face. She put her hand on Noah’s shoulder and simply stated “I knew it”

Noah rolled his eyes “Yeah yeah”

“No seriously. I literally knew it. I saw you come out of her bedroom the other day”

Peggy’s hands flew to her ears; she shook his head “ _ Ah _ . I don’t need to know that, please”

“Sorry Peg” Sharon laughed.

Clint then returned from the bathroom and saw the smirks on everyone’s face and how close Noah and Natasha seemed, he looked around to anyone who would make eye contact with him “What’d I miss?”

* * *

It hit one am by the time everyone was out and the party was officially finished. They were all wiped. Peggy gave Noah and kiss before heading to her quarters that she was walked to by Steve. Peggy opened her door and turned to him, she gripped onto his collar and said “You’re sure you don’t want to come in”

Steve smirked “Course I want to come in. But we haven’t been on our date yet. I’m a gentleman, Peggy”

Peggy laughed and shook his head “You’ve already been in my bed before we even got a bloody date” she kissed him lightly.  _ Teasing _ him. Steve quietly groaned with a smirk and then said “A different scenario, Pegs. This time we’re done things properly. Which includes being a gentleman and waiting”

He kissed her again “Play by the rules”

“Where’s the fun in that?” Peggy whispered with her lips still close to his, she gripped onto his shirt and pressed her lips harder down onto his. Her tongue brushed against his, she ran her fingers through the back of his head. She got him hot and bothered, then pulled away and smirked “Fine”

“Hold on-“

“No” Peggy shook her head with a teasing smile, she whispered “Play by the rules…goodnight, Captain” she quietly closed the door. He stood there for a moment and then let out a small laugh, he ran his fingers through his hair and cleared his throat. He nodded and muttered “Well played”

On an entire different floor. Noah walked Natasha to her bedroom door. Natasha turned and gripped onto his jacket and pulled his close. Clashing her lips against his and pressing their bodies firmly together. She flung her arms around his neck and muttered “Thank you for what you did tonight”

“I would have done it sooner. I just didn’t know that you-“

“I know” she kissed him again “I know”

“Nat. We’ve been putting this all off for  _ years _ . I don’t want to anymore. I want to be the cocky little shit that gets to say you’re mine”

Natasha rolled her eyes “Typical man”

Noah shook his head “No. I’m not” he kissed her again. Pressing her back against the door. Holding firmly onto her waist. Natasha put her hands on his cheeks “Noah. You know. We haven’t even been on a date”

Noah laughed “Are we being traditional now?”

“I’ve never been on a date in my entire life. Might be a nice experience” Natasha smiled “Especially if it’s with you”

“You’ve gone soft” Noah whispered with a laugh, he kissed her lightly and nodded “Alright. Seen as though you’ve begged me. I’ll go on a date with you”

“Well thank you” Natasha nodded as she played alone “Seen as though we’re being traditional. Maybe we shouldn’t…”

Noah put his hands on the door and looked to her “Really?”

Natasha shrugged and smirked. Noah rubbed his lips together and muttered a small laugh “Alright”

They stared into each other’s eyes. Natasha then shook her head “Fuck it. We’re far from the traditional type” she grabbed hold of his face once again and pulled his lips onto her. Noah wrapped his arms around her waist and opened the door to her bedroom. He picked up and carried her in the room. Shutting the door with his foot as he continued to carry her all the way to the bedroom.


	22. Chapter 22

The next morning. Natasha woke up and grabbed her sweater from the floor, slipping it on as she grabbed some of her Hollister shorts and went into bathroom. When she came back out, Noah was awake. With a smirk on his face as he looked to her. He had his hand behind his head which showed off his flexed bicep. She rolled her eyes and teased in a singing mutter “ _ What a man what a man what a mighty good man _ ”

Noah grumbled a laugh and kept his eyes on her as she grabbed a hairbrush and ran it through her hair “What’ve you got planned today?”

“Well _ I _ am going out shopping. Got a hot date tonight”

“Oh yeah, with who?”

Natasha looked to the ceiling and said “Oh just this tall, dark, handsome guy I’ve worked with for a while” she looked to him and raised her brows “You don’t know him”

Noah threw his head back on the pillow and let out a laugh. Then looked back to find Natasha climbing up on the bed and straddled him. She grabbed hold of his wrist and held them down on the bed. She leaned her head forward and muttered “One thing he should be aware of though” she leaned forward even more, with her lips close to his “I don’t impress easily”

Noah smirked and nodded “I’m sure he’ll take note”

Natasha nudged her nose against his and then got off the bed to get dressed.

Noah made his way down to the kitchen. Finding Peggy already up, of course. And Steve stood by the coffee machine. He scratched the back of his head as he walked down the stairs and smiled. Not too much. He didn’t want to look overly happy because then it’d be obvious where he spent his night.

“Morning” He called as he walked over to the breakfast counter and grabbed a croissant that was in the middle of the island. Peggy looked to him “Sleep well?”

“Uh huh” Noah nodded as he cut it open and spread butter over it. He looked between the two of them and asked “So. It’s our weekend off before being thrown back into the deep end. You guys got anything planned?”

Peggy looked to Steve “Well. Tonight, Steve and I are going out. As for today, nothing as of yet”

“Wow. First dates all around”

“You and Nat?” Steve said as he pushed a cup of coffee towards Noah. With a pleased look on his face, Noah nodded as he took the cup to his lips “Me and Nat”

Peggy rubbed his back as she smiled to him. She was so overwhelmingly happy to see how much joy and excitement he had in his eyes. As Peggy looked down to the newspaper. Noah stood up and walked over to Steve and asking in a mutter “You taking her dancing?”

Steve looked to Peggy and smirked “Not exactly”

“Thought that was the big thing with you two”

“It is. And it’s involved but. I’m widening my horizon”

Noah sighed and cursed under his breath. Steve laughed and nodded his head to him “Why?”

“Nat’s gonna hear about the big romantic thing you’ve done for my mom and mine will be crap compared. I’m not exactly good at this romantic thing”

Steve looked to Noah and let out a faint smile. This was his chance to give out even a small hint of fatherly advice “Take her somewhere that’s sentimental. That’s what I’m doing anyway”

“Thought you weren’t good with figuring out women?”

Steve raised his brows as he thought for a moment and then nodded “You’re right I'm not...but a  _ brother _ of mine sure did” he patted Noah’s shoulder and added “And trust me when I say you can trust him”

Noah took his advice on board and gave him a grateful smile.

* * *

Later on in the morning. Natasha found Peggy walking down the hall to the elevator. She was hoping that she’d catch her “Peggy!”

Peggy turned as she pushed the button and smiled, tucking her hair behind her ear “Natasha, hi”

“Noah told me you and Steve are going on your date tonight” Natasha said as she scratched her head, with a favour to ask behind her opening of that sentence. Peggy let a quick excited smile slip and nodded “Yes we are. Noah tells me that you two are going on your first date tonight also”

“Yeah and that’s why I was thinking. Well hoping that you’d want to come into the town with me and go shopping. As girly as that may sound” Natasha let out an airy laugh and rolled her eyes at herself “I haven’t exactly got anything new. He’s seen all of my fancy clothes from having to get dressed up for missions” she laughed again “That’s all I ever really needed them for till now…and you see I would go shopping with my best friend, it just turns out that-“

“Noah is your best friend” Peggy finished with smirk “It pretty much excludes him from helping you today”

“Yeah I think I need to have a job opening for it”

“No need” Peggy took hold of Natasha’s hand and pulled her in the elevator “The job has already been filled”

“Oh thank god” Natasha breathed out. Peggy laughed “Are you nervous by any chance?”

“Is it that obvious?” Natasha looked to Peggy in the corner of her eye and then turned her head to her “Is this a little weird for you? If it is just say”

Peggy smirked and once again grumbled a small chuckle “I’ve been through worse than helping my son’s date pick out an outfit”

“True” Natasha muttered as she looked back to the doors.

They made their way out of the building and decided to get in Natasha’s car and drove to the mall where they’d go and try to find an outfit that made them so drop dead gorgeous that their date’s jaws were going to drop to the floor. It was also a chance for them to really talk. Sure, over these past few weeks they’ve talked. But there was no great moment for them to have a heart to heart about things.

“Y’know. You did save my life” Natasha said as she flicked through the dresses, then looking to Peggy who had a flicker of doubt in her eyes. Thinking that Natasha was just trying to be nice, but she was more than serious “No, Peggy, honest. If you hadn’t of looked out for me like you did or tell me the truth. Which I know came at a price and I wish it didn’t. But if you hadn’t of done that then I know for a fact that I wouldn’t be here. Y’know I’d rather be killing people for the red room or I’d have been assassinated myself”

“By my son it sounded like from your first meeting”

Natasha laughed and nodded “It certainly took a lot for me to convince him”

“What was he like with you?”

“Noah…when first meeting him is kinda cold. I mean he’s respectful to you but he’s always been a bit of loner apparently till I showed up”

“So you saved him it seems” Peggy said “Well. That’s what Evelyn certainly seems to think so”

Natasha smirked “And we all know how much Evelyn thinks she’s right”

Peggy laughed “Yes, you’re right there”  

Natasha looked to Peggy and shrugged “I made an impact, sure, but having you back in his life has really made him happy again. He no longer feels like he’s missed out a part of his life. He told me s _ o  _ many times”

“Well, I’m glad that you three found me when you did. Because I was just waiting”

Natasha raised a brow “For what?”

Peggy shrugged “To die” she didn’t elaborate. She just left it at that and moved onto another rack for more clothes. She quickly moved on, she didn’t want a depressed cloud hanging over their heads “I feel like as the mother I should ask you what your intentions are with my son”

Natasha laughed, walking over to Peggy and hearing her add on “I think.  _ This _ I am slightly new to”

She shrugged “You’re doing good…my intentions. Are just to” she ran her fingers through her hair, she didn’t want to come off sounding cheesy or cliché. She shrugged as she dropped her hand “Just to be with him, I guess. I’ve being doing that for six years but this time just to  _ really _ be with him, y’know?”

“I do” Peggy nodded.

“You start work on Monday then?”

“Yes. It’s been long overdue but I’ve been busy finding my feet with my family and Steve”

Natasha nodded, picking up a dress that had caught her eye and then said with a wide eye to Peggy again “You’re my boss come Monday”

Peggy laughed breathlessly and nodded “That’s right” she then raised her brows to her “So stay in line”

Natasha smirked and mocked a small salute.

* * *

Whilst Peggy and Natasha were out looking for clothes and then going to lunch together. Noah and Steve spent their time in the towers gym. They may as well make themselves look as in shape as possible for their dates tonight.

“Honestly. I’m just happy I haven’t been dragged out shopping” Noah laugh as he hit the punchbag “Natasha can be a real girl sometimes”

Steve muttered a laugh “She’s told me that you’re the one who’s the fashion expert”

“When you’ve lived through every famous fashion era like I have you know what works and what doesn’t” Noah raised his eyebrows to him as he walked over to his water bottle “Not that Ma’s got to worry about that, her taste hasn’t faded at all”

“Yeah when she and Pepper went out to get her a whole new wardrobe for both work and normal I didn’t expect her to pick so well for the times” he laughed “And Pepper said she had nothing to do with it”  

“Well  _ you _ would be impressed. With those checked shirts I thought you raided my uncle jack’s old wardrobe”

“They’re gone now after you hounding me about them” Steve laughed, lightly punching Noah’s arm as he walked over to the weights. He looked over and saw Noah go up to the chin bar and effortless pull himself up at a frequent pace. Steve cleared his throat and said “Noah”

“Yeah?”

“I know you said you’re okay with it at the party but. Are you  _ really _ alright with your mom and I dating again?”

Noah looked to him and held himself above the bar, resting his chin on it for a moment. This super human thing really worked well with him. He shrugged and nodded “You know what...I am. I ain’t just saying it. My dad made her happy.  _ But _ so do you, obviously I wasn’t around in the war but these weeks alone has shown me that” he dropped himself down from the bar and gently swung his arms back and forth “If I had a problem with you and my mom dating. I wouldn’t be quiet about it” he slapped his arm on Steve’s shoulder and shrugged “All I’m asking is that you keep her happy”

“S’all I’ve ever wanted to do” Steve smiled. He wanted to assure Noah that he could trust him with Peggy. Because he knew how reserved Noah was because he felt like although what Steve did back in the war was for the better good, it left his mother heartbroken and the older he got the more he realised that she was still heartbroken about his  _ death _ till the day she was kidnapped.

But the circumstances were different now…but in a way, they are also the same. Their lives are still on the line when running into field missions.

Noah looked at him for a moment longer and then patted his shoulder as he pulled his hand away and turned his head to carry on with his work out. He put his hands on his hips and then slapped Steve on the back “Come old man, let’s see who can row for the longest”

“You’re on” Steve said as he leaped himself off of the weights bench and raced him over to the rowing machines.

* * *

Later on that night. The four of them were ready to go on their first dates. It was a unique situation they had. Picking up their dates that already lived with them. One couple already had a baby together who is now the same age as them and taking out his mother’s old student. As Noah as said.  _ There should be a play _ .

Noah walked out of his room, suited and booted. Well, he wasn’t wearing it a suit. He was wearing a thick black denim jacket, a white t-shirt and navy tight fitting pants. With a few sprays of Mont Blanc. Natasha couldn’t resist even if she tried.

She was going to meet him on his level in the living area. He went down and Peggy stood there, she looked amazing. She was a wearing a wine-coloured dress that went to just above her knees. It was long sleeved had a v neck. With matching high heeled shoes. Much like Natasha, Steve couldn’t resist even if he tried.

“Whoa, Momma. You look amazing” he said as he walked down the stairs to her.

Peggy looked up to him from putting on her blood red lip stick and grinned to him “Thank you, love, you look pretty fantastic yourself”

“It’s in my genes” Noah smirked with a cocky eyebrow being raised. Peggy slapped his arms and straightened his jacket “Bloody too right”

Then the door opened again and Steve walked down the stairs. Peggy’s eyes slowly shifted from her son to Steve and her jaw almost hit the floor. It was like everything went into slow motion as she stared at him.

His hair was slicked back. He was wearing a light brown blazer jacket with a white shirt that had had a few buttons undone much to her pleasure and black smart pants with brown leather loafers. Thank god for modern fashion.

He also had a beard coming through which she never knew she needed till now. Peggy took her hands off of Noah’s arms and walked over to him, saying in a quiet mumble so Noah didn’t hear “ _ Oh my god  _ should we just skip dinner?”

Steve laughed as his hands found her waist and looked at her up and down “You look  _ beautiful _ ” 

Peggy loosely gripped onto his jacket as he kissed her cheek, rubbing her back he then asked “You ready to go?”

“Yeah” she looked back over her shoulder to Noah who shot them both a smile and said “Have a good time”

“You too love” she then poked his chest and dryly teased “Have her back by ten”

Noah laugh and nodded “Okay, momma” he then looked to Steve “Same to you”

“No promises” Steve joked. Slapping Noah on the arm and wishing him and Natasha a good night. As they left. Natasha soon came down the stairs in a black jumpsuit, her hair down in big loose curls and a long silver necklace that Noah had bought her for her birthday a few years back travelling down the visible part of her chest from the V chest. Holding onto a black velvet purse in her left hand. She smirked to him as she walked towards him and saw his jaw drop to the floor.

“ _ Jesus Christ _ . Should we just skip dinner?”

Natasha giggled as she put her hand on his shoulder slowly wrapped her arm around his neck and kissed him, she put her finger under his chin and whispered “You smell  _ amazing _ ”

“You would say that. You bought me the damn cologne for Christmas”

Natasha muttered a chuckle as she slapped her purse against his chest and said “So should would set off to wherever it is you’re taking me?”

“I thought  _ you _ were taking  _ me _ out”

Natasha shot him an amused smirk. Noah put his arm around her waist “Yeah let’s go”

When reaching outside. Peggy looked around for a car or something to pick them up. She saw Steve walk over to his motorcycle to the side and get on it, she turned herself to him and folded her arms “Steve?”

Steve looked to her and pulled a face which revealed enough. Peggy laughed as she looked at it and said “Are you joking?”

“You always said you wanted to go for a ride on my motorcycle back in the day” he patted the space behind him and said “Come on, Carter. Scared?”

Peggy rubbed her lips together and she stared at him and it a little longer. She wasn’t one to back down from a little thrill.

* * *

Peggy Carter was one of the most intellectual spies that had ever existed. And even she couldn’t figure out where on earth Steve was taking her. Not even when he pulled outside of what looked like a warehouse. She remained on the bike a little longer as he got off and looked to her as she tried to figure it out. Peggy took her eyes to him with her mouth remaining in an O shape. Steve smirked and held his hand out “Come on”

As she took his hand and got off the motorcycle she said “Is this the part where you reveal you’re secretly evil and kill me?”

“Not yet” Steve laughed as he guided her into the warehouse and said to her in a way that suggested he can’t believe she hadn’t remembered “You don’t remember the little movie theatre that we spotted during the war. Saying how we’d love to go and catch a movie some day”

“Well yes but…” she then stopped as she realised. Her eyebrows raised as she watched him walk further down into the space. She pointed to the floor as she said “This is it?”

Steve held his arms out and nodded “This is it”

Peggy looked up and saw how the damn thing no longer had a roof, but seeing all the stars actually made it pretty beautiful. There was a beat up old car in the middle of it. No movie seats or anything. Steve went on to explain that it must’ve become a garage or something after the theatre was shut down. The car was an old convertible from what she was guessing was from the sixties.

Steve opened the door of it and pulled the seats forward. The closer she got, the more she saw the inside of it. Steve had put pillows and blankets inside of it. She let out a shocked giggle “What have you done?”

“Well when I found this place yesterday afternoon, remember when Bruce needed me? He didn’t. I just used that to sneak away and find here, so when I did and saw that there were no chairs and just cars. I got to do some interior decorating. Get in there”

Peggy looked at him both surprised and impressed and climbed in the back of the car. Steve cleared his throat and then said as he ran to the back of the room and climbed up a ladder “Swiped a projector and put it in here so...”

Peggy went to look at him but was soon distracted by a film being played on the large wall in front of them. It wasn’t a random film in the slightest. It was  _ Tall in the Saddle.  _ Mystery, Western and Romance. What more could you want in a film. Peggy turned her head to him and said “This was the film we said we’d go see!”

Steve nodded and then made his way down “Shame we were dramatically shipped to London before we got the chance. Then I was too in the ice after that” he jumped in the back next to her and saw her unamused face “Too soon?”

“A tad”

Steve laughed and asked as he looked to the film “Did you watch it?”

“Yes. But only because Noah loved John Wayne”

“Really?”

“Oh. He was his favourite _ no-one _ would compare. Not even Gregory Peck, no matter how much I tried”

Steve chuckled and pulled the blanket over their legs. He put his arm over her shoulder and brought her close. Nuzzling her head with hers. Peggy smiled sweetly and put her arm across his stomach.

* * *

“Noah what are we doing here? The building is closed” Natasha whispered as Noah led her to the empire state building. Noah turned and raised a brow to her “Is it?”

She looked at him, confused. He slipped his hand out of hers and gave what felt like a code knock. They were at the back of the building. The door then opened and in front of them was a man who seemed to be in his mid to late sixties. Shaking Noah’s hand as Noah thanked him and slapped his back to then nod to Natasha and smiled “Ma’am”

“Hi” Natasha said, still confused as she looked to Noah when he took her hand. Walking her in the building she whispered “How do you know the janitor for the Empire State Building?”

“We went to school together” Noah said with a shrug, as though it was obvious. But she forgets sometimes that he was born in 1946 and that he’d had to forgive her for.

They got in the elevator and went up. And up and up and up until finally they could go up no further. Natasha looked to him and said “Are we going to the top of the empire state building?”

“Why not?” Noah smirked. He took her hand again “Come on”

Something told her that he had done this before. The few from the top of this building was obviously going to be amazing, but Natasha never expected for her breath to be taken away. Noah looked to her as he leaned against the wall and looked out to the view once more for a moment “You always said that you wanted to the city from the highest angle. Well you can’t get much higher unless you’re god…or in a plane”

Natasha laughed and walked over to him, putting her arms on the wall and letting out a breath “Chalk one up for date ideas”

“Good. Because we aren’t the kind of wine and dine couple”

“No we’re more the…” she looked down and said “Can die if we lean over too much kind of couple”

Noah laughed and held his finger up “I have got us something though” he took her hand once again and led her to the two seater table that he had his old school buddy set up. With a picnic basket on top of it, Natasha looked at it with caution. But then laughed and clapped her hands together as he revealed a basket full of their favourite McDonald meals. Natasha slapped his chest as she laughed some more which showed him that she approved.

“I know the way to my girl’s heart” Noah muttered with a proud smirk on his face.

“Another pro into dating best friends” she looked to him as sat herself down and grabbed a burger “They already know everything there’s needed to know”

Noah sat beside her, he found himself looking at her more than his food or the view. To him she was the damn view. Natasha looked from looking out to the city and back to him. Noah leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers. Natasha dropped her food on the table and slapped her hands on his cheeks and pulled him close, causing him to rise from his chair and making her lean further against hers. Natasha smirked against his lips and then whispered “As far as first dates go. This is the best one”

“This is your only one” Noah teased in a mutter as he pulled his head back and looked to her. Natasha slapped his shoulder once more and gripped onto his jacket once again “I’m trying to compliment you on your dating skills”

“Well you can ask half the women in New York, they already know”

Natasha mocked a laugh and then shot back “Too bad they’re all probably in a residential home by now”

Noah’s face dropped to being unamused as she giggled and put her forehead against his shoulder. He then couldn’t hold it in and let out a laugh. He had to give it to her, that was a pretty good come back. Natasha lifted her head back up and looked back to him “But I am very much still young” she kissed him again.

Noah wrapped his arms around her waist as hers went around his neck. Noah then pulled away momentarily and said as he looked down to her outfit once again “And by the way, you should wear this like, all the time”

Natasha laughed and pulled his lips to her again.

* * *

With the movie finished. Peggy looked up to Steve and raised her brows to him “Well?”

“Noah had good taste in actors” Steve said with a chuckle, then looking down to her. He shrugged “To be honest, anything I watched here tonight would have been great because I was here with you” he leaned his head down to her as she was slouched against his body and whispered before kissing her “And you make everything worthwhile. Including fighting a war”

Peggy smiled as his lips came to hers. She put both of her hands on one side of his cheek before shuffling herself up as putting one hand on his shoulder as the other loosely wrapped around his neck. Running her fingers through the back of his head. Peggy pulled her lips away, gave him another light quick kiss and muttered “You’ve done well tonight, but there’s just one thing you’ve forgotten”

Steve held his finger up and said “Is this what you’re referring to” Steve went on his phone and pressed play, it was hooked up to a Bluetooth speaker that Tony had lent him. Coming on was  _ The Way You Look Tonight _ . It was theirs. It was also what Peggy was referring to. He knew her down to a tee. Steve jumped out of the back of the car and held his hands out to her, Peggy grinned to him and took his hands that went to her waist and lifted her down.

Steve took hold of her hands again and walked her to the front of the car. One of his hands remained with hers with the other going on her waist. Pulling her body close to her. Peggy, with her forehead lightly touching his, said as she looked to him “Am I going to get bruised toes by the end of this?”

Steve laughed and shook his head “Hopefully not”

He had practiced a little by himself when he was alone last night after the party. He wanted to save himself the embarrassment. But surprisingly, it flowed easier than expected. They weren’t doing some big elaborate waltz, it was just a calm, holding each other close kind of dance. Peggy rested her cheek against his chest and closed her eyes, taking in the moment for all that she could. Eventually she looked back up to him and said in a gentle, quiet voice “Thank you, for sticking to your promises”

Steve smiled and replied with “I’m just sorry you had to wait so long”

“Better late, than never” Peggy leaned up and kissed him as they continued to move to the music. He slowly dipped her down for a moment, watched as she pulled her head back, arching her neck. Then to slowly bring it back up as he lifted her again, her hair swept down perfectly as he nose brushed against his that she lightly kissed before their foreheads nuzzled together. He held firmly onto her back, she felt more safe than ever. Always in his arms was when she was most safe. 

* * *

_ 10:05pm _

Noah removed his jacket as he and Natasha walked into her living quarters. With their lips still not daring to pull apart. Noah’s hands gripped onto her back as he lowered her down onto the couch and he climbed over her. Natasha gripped onto his dog tags as they touched her chest and used them to keep him pulled down on top of her.

Her legs locked around his waist as their tongues brushed together. Natasha lowered her head down on the throw pillow and found her lips curl up “Noah?”

“Um-hm?”

“This is good isn’t it. You and me”

Noah grinned and nodded as he lowered his head down to her “Yeah. It is”

On the floor below. Steve and Peggy came stumbling into his quarters. Having their arms wrapped around each other. Steve grabbed hold of her waist and lifted her up with no effort at all. His arms wrapped securely around her waist, with his hand pulling down the zipper of her dress. Her fingers ran through the back of his hair.

Steve dropped her down onto the bed, Peggy wasted no time. Her hands went straight to the buttons of his shirt as he removed his jacket and threw it on the floor. His shirt then soon followed. Peggy ran her hands down his stomach. God had she missed this. So much so that she leaned forward and took her hot lips to his beautifully crafted abdomen. Then pulling back as Steve leaned forward, lying on top of her with his lips on her. His hands gripped onto her waist once again. Just dying to get her dress off. As they rolled over for him to now be on his back. He pulled the dress down from the top half of her body. Peggy put her hand to his cheek and whispered “You’ve always known what to do”

“Comes naturally” he grumbled back as her tongue swiftly dominated his for a moment before pulling away and looking down to her hands that unbuckled his belt. He reached to the side and took out some protection from his drawer. Peggy let out a small giggle. He certainly was prepared...not that it mattered. Hydra made sure she couldn’t get pregnant again. She had told him this and he was okay with it, suppose grabbing a condom was just an instinct.

The entirety of their clothes were eventually on the floor and under the duvet they went. Peggy gazed into his eyes, taking deep breaths as he lay on top of her. She gulped heavily and whispered as she closed her eyes and put her lips next to his “I’ve missed you”

Steve smiled to her “I love you”

Peggy nodded with her forehead against his and put her hand on the back of his head to pull his lips back onto hers.


	23. Chapter 23

Four months passed. Peggy fell back into the Director job straight away. Steve always knew that she was good at taking charge but, damn, she was amazing in this job. She made Nick look bad. It wasn’t the worst thing in the world for her, getting her family back, Steve back and having her job as the head of SHIELD given back to her as soon as her feet touched the ground. 

Peggy stood in her shiny new office at the top of the Stark tower, Peggy dealt with everything in New York whilst Nick _ ‘handled’ _ things in DC. But she was now the boss as it should be. Peggy was at her desk, standing up as she was going through all the things that Directors have to deal with when the door opened and Steve walked in, all dressed up in his uniform and shield on his back. Peggy looked up and smirked as he gave her the same look. Steve gave her a nod and said as he stood on the other side of her desk and slowly leaned over it “Director”

“Captain” Peggy said with a loving tone as her lips were greeted by his for a quick, firm kiss. Peggy pulled her head back and said with the raise of a brow “I do hope you don’t give Director Fury the same treatment”

“I hope you don’t give your other agents the same treatment” Steve wittingly replied. Peggy chuckled, slapping her hand on his chest and pushing him back as she stood up straight and looked down to the documents.

“Did I mention how I find you being in a waistcoat pretty sexy?”

With her head still down, she nodded “Yes. You did this morning when you watched me put it on” she shifted her eyes to him as he muttered in a pitch higher “Ah yeah”

Peggy shook her head and dropped the papers she had down on the desk whilst still in her hands and said “Have you come here for any real reason, or are you just here to flirt? Because I actually have a job” 

Steve looked at her, pretending to be offended. He raised his brows to her and said “Well. Cause of that, I’m not putting out tonight”

Peggy looked to him with a rather amused look on her face and muttered “Yes, love, because it’s  _ you  _ who makes that decision” she made her way round the desk as he said “Meaning?”

“You’d have sex every time we set foot in that bedroom if you had the chance”

Steve stared at her and then said “Kind of already do-”

Peggy slapped his stomach “What do you want!”  

Steve shot her a smile and then leaned against the desk beside her. Connecting the information that he had on his tablet to the big screen she had spread across the wall. It was time for him to actually get serious, he motioned his hand to it and said “Meet Wolfgang Von Strucker”

“Mouthful”

“His name may be stupid but he isn’t. He’s been rumoured to link to Hydra. Since we know that there are some people trying to bring it back, we need to try and get rid of them before something big happens, and he’s popped up on our radar again. So who better to squash the bastard than Peggy Carter?”

Peggy looked to him and smirked as she looked back to the wall and stuck to business “Leads?”

“As for whereabouts, right now we aren’t certain.  _ But  _ Noah has pulled a solid by tracking down someone who has worked with Strucker in the past, he’s headed out now to bring him in”

“Love that boy” Peggy said under her breath as she folded her arms and stood up straight. Fixing herself up and running her fingers through the side of her hair, she looked to him and then said “I want Hill to get everything she has on Strucker and send copies to me”

“Yes ma’am”

“Where about is this connection to Strucker?”

“Bout an hour away,  Poughkeepsie I think he said it was”

“Okay” Peggy said as she logged the file that Steve put onto her screen onto her own hard drive. She looked to him as she walked over to the back of her desk “In the meantime. Fancy fetching me a brew?”

Steve tutted and rolled his eyes, muttering as he walked away “Treating me like a damn personal work monkey”

Peggy smirked as she then picked up her files once again and said bluntly “I’ll tell you what, if  _ you _ won’t.  _ I’ll  _ put out tonigh if to get me itt”

Steve stopped to the door and looked at her over his shoulder. Shooting a smirk at her.

* * *

Hours later, Peggy made her way down to the interrogation floor after being informed that Noah had brought in one of Strucker’s former  _ colleagues _ . She stood in the witnessing room besides Maria. Leaning against the ledge of the double viewing glass. 

Noah was sat on the table whilst his perp sat on the table and kept his head down. It was rare that she saw him do this. Within these four months, interrogations had been little to none.

“You worked with Wolfgang Von Strucker. Now there is no point denying it because I can just slap all the evidence we have in front of you but that will involve me running up flights of stairs and I just had lunch and will get a stitch”

Peggy heard Maria mutter a laugh and looked to her, Maria then took her eyes to her and confessed “Noah doing interrogations are my idea of entertainment”

Peggy turned her head back to the window as Noah stood up from sitting on the table as his perp said “Alright. I knew Von Strucker. So what?”

“You worked with him”

“Years ago”

“ _ You _ were his right hand guy. Which means you knew him pretty well” Noah stopped as he stood beside his chair, looking down at him “He took you under his wing? All that kind of stuff?”

Peggy then heard Maria whisper “See, Noah’s so good at this because he remains professional but also speaks in a way that feels like he already knows you. It’s pretty genius”

“He used to watch us. When they weren’t too explicit or the crime wasn’t too graphic, I’d let him watch me, Daniel and Jack do interrogations. I think he learned from all three of us and made his own skill” she lightly laughed.

Noah knocked his knuckles lightly on the table and shrugged “Listen.  _ Luke _ , Von Strucker is a nasty bastard who wants to bring back a nazi organisation. But you already knew that's why you left”

Luke groaned and turned his head away, scoffing and shaking his head “Son of a bitch just didn’t know when to stop. I was a kid, brainwashed by things I saw online and Strucker snatched me up and led me through. But the way he spoke. It was like Adolf fucking Hitler. It was crazy talk. It...it was too much”

“Then why’d you contact him last month?”

Luke’s head snapped back to Noah, who raised his brows to him. Luke shook his head and rubbed his legs through the nerves “O-Oh no I. I didn’t. He contacted me. But I said to not get me involved in-”

“In?”

“If he finds out he’ll kill me”

Noah laid his hands on the table “Luke. Von Strucker has been on our radar for some time now. I doubt he’ll suspect his former right hand man alerted us. Besides. If we catch him, you won’t have anything to worry about” he then shrugged “Or I can just smack you till you say. Somethin tells me you’re not a hard nut to crack”

Luke gulped heavily and looked down to his hands. Taking in a deep breath, the 30 year old sighed “He contacted me after years of me being away...saying that he was planning to do something here...terror attack to send a message to SHIELD”

“Where?”

“Didn’t say. Wanted to discuss it in person” he looked to Noah and sighed “I...I have the address” Noah rubbed his lips together and picked up his tablet from the table and placed it in front of him and pointed down to it “Write it down”

Noah walked into the viewing room with the information in his hand, he passed Maria the tablet, she took hold of it and walked out to get it underway. Noah shot his mother a cocky smirk, which caused her to roll her eyes and she slapped his chest as she passed him “Alright”

“Alright?” Noah laughed as he followed her out “Momma come on! I got that information from him in under half an hour”

“He was a slight push over” Peggy said as she walked down the halls. Hearing Noah scoff behind her. He shook his head and challenged her “Was he a pushover or am I just that good that I make it look that way?”

Peggy shot him a look over her shoulder and sighed “I blame your Uncle Howard for the cockiness. Perhaps even a bit of Jack”

“You were cockier than you realise” Noah muttered as they turned a corner.

“Shut it. I’m putting you in order in preparing a team to tackle this god forsaken place that Von Strucker is hiding in”

“Okay. You’re one of them”

Peggy laughed and turned around to him “Me?”

Noah shrugged “You always said that you would want to jump into field work as well as all the director stuff. And it’s a benefit that you got Nick to hold the fort whilst you’ve gone”

Peggy slid her hands in her pockets and looked away from him. The tempted smirk on her face was evident enough of that she was going to accept his offer and join him on the mission. Noah pointed to her “That’s enough for an answer to me”

“Noa-”

“Dust the mothballs off of that field uniform you were given those months ago” Noah called to her as he laughed down the stairs.

Peggy strummed her fingernails on the glass door, she sighed but the result was a smile. Deep down she was pretty excited. She had just forgotten that she can do field work through being so wrapped up in being the director of everything again. 

Noah had his own work space in Stark tower. He shared it though, with Natasha. Everyone was sick in seeing them run over to each other’s offices so Tony pushed them into an office together and left them to it. To be honest, it’s what they were hoping would happen. 

Noah walked in the office and saw her leaning against the desk as she looked down to her files. He walked in and took her by the waist as he sat down on his chair and put her on his lap.

“Got a mission underway soon”

“I know. Peggy just text me”

Noah’s brows pinched together and he looked to her “You and my mom text?”

Natasha stopped looking down at the file and looked straight ahead “It’s not like your mom is the traditional type. For one she’s...like our age  _ physically _ ” he smirked. She only said that last word so that he couldn’t make a snarky comment.

“What do you say? You talk about me?”

Natasha shrugged “Sometimes. The baby pictures she sent me were  _ very  _ cute”

His face suddenly dropped as she lightly laughed to herself “No”

Natasha pulled her phone out and showed him the two baby pictures that Peggy had sent of him. Natasha leaned her head against his as she saw the mortified look on his face. Noah shook his head with his jaw still dropped “How did she-”

“Tony taught her how to get scanned pictures on her phone”

“Bastard” Noah mumbled. Natasha laughed some more and then teased him by pointing the the second one and whispering “I might make that one my screen saver”

“Don’t you dare” Noah shook his head as he leaned it back against the chair. Natasha put the phone on his desk and turned her head to him “So. Von Strucker, huh? We’ve been after that son of a bitch for some time”

“You’re lucky that you’ve got this boyfriend who’s  _ really  _ good at his job”

“I am. Speaking of which have you seen him lately?”

Noah slapped her leg and shook his head, though letting slip out an amused smile. Natasha cleared her throat and stuck back to work “Who’s on today then?”

“My mom” he smirked.

“Yes!” Natasha slapped his chest, then saying as she stood up “She’s been dying to sink her claws into some field work”

Noah laughed and shrugged “Not sure who else apart from us-”

“Steve”

Noah nodded “Sure, Steve”

“Couple skills building” Natasha joked as she wiggled her eyebrows to him. Noah looked away from her as he laughed.

* * *

Sharon came prancing into Peggy’s office “So I just got called in for this mission. Starting to sound like a family outing” 

Peggy laughed as she wrote things down on her paper “Well we do always say we should try and do more things as a family”

Sharon crossed her arms and looked out to the view in her office “Jesus you got a good deal here” Peggy glanced to her niece standing by the glass and looking out to the view and nodded when looking back to her work “Tony did a good job”

Sharon shrugged “He wants to impress you. He never had the whole cool fun Aunt thing. Man I wish I had a cool fun aunt”

Peggy dropped her pen and lifted her hand up as she looked to Sharon “Hello?”

Sharon looked to her and then sighed as she looked back out to the view “I wish I had a cool fun aunt”

Peggy scoffed at her teased and threw a screwed up ball of paper from before at her head. Sharon laughed and walked over to Peggy, giving her arms a shake from behind her and carried on teasing “Joking. You’re  _ very  _ cool”

“Shove off” Peggy laughed. Sharon walked round and then asked “What if this thing is trap?”

“May well be. I’ve walked into a fair few before” Peggy laughed “I’ve got the scar to prove it”

Sharon sat on the arm chair of her sofa and looked to Peggy “Any update on you and Steve?”

“Well” Peggy started in a mumble, then looking up to Sharon and smiled to her “He still loves me”

“Still?” Sharon raised her brows with a mocking surprised look on her face. Peggy rolled her eyes and sat back in her chair as she then heard the question of “You guys gonna get engaged yet then?”

Peggy laughed breathlessly “Hardly” she scratched the back of her head when she heard Sharon ask “How long was it the first time he asked?”

Peggy thought for a moment “We were together...almost a year when he asked me...but it’s a different situation. I’ve been married since then. It’s just not something I’d be ready for, for sometime and luckily he understands that. Plus, there’s more to a woman’s life than looking at rings to put on a finger”

Sharon raised her brows “I’ll have write that one down...man, you managed diplomacy  _ and  _ espionage in a time when no one wanted to see you, us,  _ women _ . Succeed at either” she laughed lightly and asked “How the hell did you manage that?”

The corner of Peggy’s lips curled, she looked down to her hand for a moment and dropped her pen down before standing up and walking over to her, she smiled as she slid her hands in her pockets and said “You compromise where you can, Sharon. Where you can’t? Don’t...even if everyone is telling you that something wrong is something right” she shrugged “Even if the whole world is telling you to move. It is your duty, to plant yourself like a tree. Look them in the eye and say no... _ you _ move”

Sharon stared at Peggy with a captivated smile by her words and slowly nodded “That was some speech. Have you said it before?”

“Funnily enough no” Peggy laughed. She put her hand on the back of Sharon’s head and pulled it forward as she quickly kissed the top of it before patting her shoulder, looking at her in the eyes again she smiled to her “The good thing about being a woman in this day and age is that people want to see  _ us  _ succeed. Even if they didn’t you’d get through it just as well as I did if not better. You’re a brilliant Agent, one of the best I’ve ever seen. Both men and women”

“Not as brilliant as you though”

“No one is” Peggy teased as she winked to her. Sharon bowed her head down and laughed. Tucking her hair behind her ear and hearing Peggy say “I’m looking at getting you up a level, talking to Nick about it the next time we have a conference”

Sharon looked up at Peggy with a shocked look on her face, Peggy took her eyes back down to her and saw her expression and let out a small laugh.

Sharon shook her head as she tried and wrapped her head around it “Pegs. You don’t have-”

“ _ You _ deserve it. Quite frankly I can’t believe it wasn’t done before I got back into this job”

She didn’t know what to say, she was overwhelmed and shocked. Sharon had grafted for so many years to try and get somewhere, and Peggy shows up, see’s it straight away and does something about it. It was a refreshing feel. Sharon gulped heavily and said in a cracked and emotional tone “Thank you”

“It’s the least I can do. Not only are you family but you have also been a rock with Noah and Evelyn, like the gel that keeps you all together as a unit” she then lightly laughed “The tales I’ve been told those two would have imploded many times if you weren’t there to knock them into shape” 

Sharon laughed and shrugged “Well that’s true”

Peggy smiled to her and then patted her arm once more before walking back over to her desk “Now go on, go get the details from Noah. Don’t go slacking on my watch”

Sharon smirked and rolled her eyes as she stood up and then left the office.

* * *

A few hours later, the team was ready. Aside from herself, Steve, Noah, Natasha and Sharon. There were seven more with them. All well equipped and prepared. Peggy was itching to get her nails into this, she had been dying to get back into the field. The suit looked damn good on her too which helped. Helped Steve too. 

They found themselves on an old army facility. Not one of Steve and Peggy’s of course. Arguably it seemed to be an old Hydra base, the sneaky bastards like to mask it by looking like a regular base camp for the attempts of Hydra during post war. Peggy has been here before though. When she was on a mission with the Howling Commandos.

“We shut the last Hydra division down here. It makes sense, I suppose”

“Knew we wouldn’t go snooping around a place that was long dead” Steve muttered as they watched the plane open, as their window to jump was soon coming up. They would land just off of the base to not cause immediate alert. He put his helmet on and rubbed his cheeks “You sure bout this beard?”

Peggy smirked as she stroked it with the back of her finger “I bloody am” she raised her brows “Perhaps later I’ll show you just how sure” she shot him one last smirk and then jumped out of the plane. Steve watched her fall through the sky and shook his head as he muttered “What a woman”

He felt Noah slap his back and yell over the engine “No time like the present!” he then flung himself out of the plane. Steve stood there and watched as Natasha stood next to him and said “Like mother like son, huh!”

“It’s spooky!” Steve called back.

They were all soon on the ground. Peggy dropped her parachute on the floor and looked to Steve and Noah “Where’s yours?” she saw the look on both their faces and rolled her eyes “Of course”

“You don’t need one either” Noah laughed.

“Yes but I prefer not to look like a show off” Peggy whispered as she then walked away and led the team towards the base. Noah and Steve looked to each other with both an expression which showed their clearly wounded pride before shaking it off and resuming their work. The base was rather large, so they split up. Six of the agents went one way whilst. The five of  _ them  _ stuck together with one other. 

Peggy and the rest of them came to a two leveled building at the back of the base. Hiding themselves behind a crumbled wall, Peggy looked to Steve and Natasha and whispered “You two go into the building and scope it out whilst Noah, Sharon and I check this sides perimeter. Anything happens, contact us”

Steve and Natasha nodded and made their way into the building. Peggy looked to Sharon and the other male agent beside “Go round the back, any trouble and you call”

The pair of them nodded and then went on their way. Peggy slapped Noah’s arm “Seems you’re stuck with me, kid. Come on” 

They stood up, with their guns in their hands and ready for anything. It was dark and it was quiet. They heard nothing from the others and no disruption so far. Noah looked around and said “Y’know. Times like this where dad would make jokes to fill the silence”

“God he did” Peggy whispered, then muttering a laugh “Sometimes I wanted to hit him”

“He did have some good ones though”

Peggy rolled her eyes as she grinned to giving in “Yes he did”

Noah bowed his head for a moment as he started his sentence with a light laugh “He had this one...where…” he laughed “It was kind one that both praised you and made fun of himself” he looked to Peggy “What do you call a man who’s lost all of his intelligence?”

Peggy shrugged “I don’t know”

“A widower”

Peggy’s jaw dropped which led to Noah chuckle. She kept her eyes on him and said in a still shocked voice “He never told that joke”

“Oh he did. I think he just tried to use jokes like that to hide everything he was feeling...still it’s a good joke”

“It’s also rather true” Peggy said under her breath. Noah smirked and nodded.

_ “Nothing here, Director”  _ one of her agents from the other side of the base is. Peggy sighed and looked to Noah “I’m beginning to think that this is a dead end. Your perp may have given us a fake address”

“Pretty specific one, though. I mean...he sends us to an old hydra base in the middle of germany? Where the hell did he come up with this location”

Peggy shrugged “If he worked with Von Strucker. It’s possible he saw or heard it being mentioned”

Noah scoffed and shook his head as they began to walk back “Bring him back in and smash his head against the table”

Peggy patted his back to then rub it “Of course you will, love”

Noah let out a breathless laugh and shook his head. It went silent for a moment between the two of them. Then he got to thinking, thinking about something that he had been thinking about for a while now. And Peggy was the person he could go to about anything.

“Momma”

Peggy looked to him “What is it love?”

Noah cleared his throat and looked to floor “It’s been…a fair few months since you’ve been back, now right?”

Peggy nodded “Yes I would say getting on six…why?”

Noah ran his fingers through his hair “So…you think…Natasha and I have been together for a while now, huh?”

“I would say so” Peggy’s eyebrows pinched together, she then raised her eyebrows “You’re not planning on proposing, are you?”

“No. No” Noah chuckled. He cleared his throat and felt himself going red “No. Not to that extent, it’s just we’ve never. Well we’ve never said…” he sighed. He was beginning to ramble and he could feel it. Closed his eyes for a moment and then looked back to Peggy “Momma I think I’m in-”

He was suddenly interrupted by the sound of a loud bang coming from the building that Steve and Natasha were in. Some kind of explosion. 

They both looked to each other and feared the worst.

“Steve” Peggy muttered.

“Nat” Noah whispered. They both ran into the building. The top floor had collapsed, which was the floor Steve and Natasha were on. The first person they saw was Steve and bolted towards him. He was completely unconscious. But they could see that he was breathing.

“Steve” Peggy cried as she put her cheeks to his face.

“Steve” Noah shook, putting his hand on Steve’s chest, seeing the blood down the side of his face. He had hit his head hard. Noah felt his lip going as he whispered “Dad…”

Peggy looked to him. Shocked. Her attention was suddenly taken back to Steve as he suddenly took a deep breath. Making her jump, she cupped his face once again “Oh, Steve”

Noah took a breath of relief and then took his hands from Steve’s chest and got up to look for Natasha. Peggy kept her focus on Steve. His eyebrows pinched together “Pegs…”

“Yes darling it’s me. You’re going to be okay”

“What…what’s-“

“There was an explosion” Peggy cried “You scared the hell out of me” she leaned down and pressed her forehead against his before kissing him. Steve took his hand and laid it on her arm, he tried to look around and then asked “Where’s Natasha?”

It was at that moment that Peggy heard the sobbing, she looked up and saw Noah in the corner of the room, holding Natasha in his arms and cradling her, rocking back and forth. His head was buried in her neck, he was crying. Natasha was practically crushed from all the plastering and the broken up floor. 

“Come on. Come on.  _ Baby _ . Please” Noah whispered into her ear as he continued to rock her.

“Oh my god…” Peggy whispered. She looked down to Steve, regained her composure and asked “Can you stand?”

“I think so” Steve muttered, Peggy stood up and took his hand. She pulled him up onto his feet. He was alright. Which wasn’t that much of a surprise, he had serum in his veins so he could recover quickly. Though he was still badly hurt, he leaned against a beam to keep himself up. Peggy walked over to Noah and leaned down “What’s going on, darling?”

“S-She’s not breathing. I…I think she hit her head…I don’t-“

“Okay, okay take deep breaths” She looked over her shoulder to Steve and then back to Noah “Pick her up, we’re getting her to the hospital”

Noah nodded, refusing to take his eyes off Natasha. He picked her up and held onto her tight. Peggy walked over to Steve and put her arm around his waist “Lean on me, love”

Hesitant at first. Steve leaned against Peggy. Holding him up securely, and seeing Noah behind her. She pressed down on her earpiece and said “This is Director Peggy Carter. Captain Rogers has been hurt and needs medical attention as does Agent Romanoff”

“ _ Are they critical?” _

Peggy took a breath and then said, trying to speak quietly “Agent Romanoff will need urgent attention”


	24. Chapter 24

As soon as they got in the hospital. Natasha was put on a bed and wheeled off straight away. Leaving Noah to stand there and feel utterly hopeless. He watched her get wheeled down the hall and put his hands to the back of his head. Gripping hard onto his hair. Peggy walked away from Steve once he was quickly taken to get cleaned up and quickly made her way over to her son.

“Noah” she called as she jogged towards him. Noah turned and she saw the tears in his eyes. She frowned and felt her heart break at the sight, she gripped onto his shoulder and pulled him close. Hugging him tightly “Come on, love” she whispered as he sank into her embrace “It’s going to be okay. She’s going to be fine”

Peggy sat Noah down. He leaned his arms on his legs and covered his face with his palms as he took deep breaths, all Peggy could do was just sit there and comfort him. She was scared for Natasha also. But she couldn’t let that show for his sake. Peggy rested her forehead against his shoulder. All she could hear was his panicked deep breaths “Take it slow, Noah. Keep calm”

“Momma I’ve never seen her like this before” Noah muttered as he brought his hands away from his face, leading to Peggy lifted her head to look at him. He looked down to his palms as they rubbed together and said “Normally when she takes a blow, she gets up. Strong and tall…she must’ve hurt herself so bad. Sometimes I forget she isn’t superhuman, y’know?” he said with a tearful laugh, then sniffling his nose and shaking his head “I mistake her being strong minded to thinking she can take anything that hits her. Maybe this was a step too far”

“Natasha knew what she was doing, she knows what she gets herself into. Much like me she doesn’t need protecting”

“No you don’t but sometimes it’s good to be there just in case and I wasn’t there for her today”

Peggy shook her head “Steve was. He was there with her and you saw how he couldn’t do anything just like you wouldn’t have been, there was nothing you could have done”

“I’m in love with her, ma” Noah blurted out, still looking at his palms as tears ran down his cheeks “What I was trying to tell you before was that I’m in love with her…”

Peggy pulled him towards her and rested her head-on top of his as she rubbed his arm “I know, son”

“I never even told her”

“You will” Peggy kissed the top of his head “When she wakes up. She’ll wake up to the man she loves telling her the thing she’s always wanted to hear”

Noah was grateful for her words. He would be a total mess right now if she wasn’t here which is why he counts his blessings every day that he was given her back. Noah took in a deep breath and shifted his eyes over to Steve who was sat up on the bed, his top half of his uniform taken off and getting his cuts cleaned up. Some glass pierced through his uniform and stuck into his skin. It wasn’t pleasant.

“How’s he doing?” Noah asked in a dry voice. Peggy looked over to Steve and said “He’s fine. A little bit sore but other than that he’s going to be just fine”

“I thought they were both goners for a second…how the hell did it happen-“

“They must have got a tip, a pre-meditated thing. They would have planted it before leaving” she carried on stroking his hair and kissed his head again “These things happen”

“She told me to be careful” Noah muttered, then laughed “She said it all sarcastic and was teasing, but she told me to be careful, and I just looked at her and laughed telling her to shut up…” he let out a muttered sob. Peggy held onto him tighter and began to cry herself, she rocked him side to side and soothingly made a shushing nose “Stop it, Noah. Love please stop putting guilt on yourself”

“I knew something would happen. I knew that everything was going too well”

Peggy shook her head and sighed. She hated knowing that Noah had this mind set because of what happened to her. She knew that her being kidnapped all those years ago is what got him to feel like god or the universe had some kind of plan against him, that he was being punished for something. Which wasn’t true, this was just an accident. Things like this happen in this line of work.

After a while of holding onto him. Peggy rubbed his head and lightly patted it so he would lift it, which he did and she said “I’m going to get a drink, do you want anything?”

Noah shook his head.

“I’m getting you a drink”

“I don’t-“

“I’m getting you a drink” Peggy said more forcefully but still with a soft voice to tell him that this wasn’t a negotiation. Noah just gave her a tight and grateful smile; he wasn’t exactly thinking straight. Peggy rubbed his back and stood up. She cleared her throat and walked over to the coffee machine. A tea for her and a coffee for Noah. She walked over to him and handed it to him “I’ll be back in a minute” she whispered, kissing her fragile boy’s forehead and then demanded “Drink”

Peggy walked back over to the machine and grabbed another coffee, she made her way over to Steve who the doctor just left. He looked up and softly smiled to her, Peggy let out a sigh, mostly of relief to see that he was okay and handed him his coffee.

“Thanks, baby” Steve said in a whisper as he took hold of the coffee. As he drank he looked to Noah, seeing how distraught he was “Is he going to be okay?”

“Yeah…if Natasha is” Peggy muttered, Steve’s eyes then shifted to her. Seeing the uncertainty in her eyes. Steve put his coffee to the side and took hold of her empty hand “Hey”

Peggy looked to him and saw his reassuring expression on his face “She’s gonna be just fine. She learned from the best to stay strong, right? I mean they both did”

Peggy let out a tearful smile and said in a cracked whisper, the only voice she could speak in right now “You always know what to say”

Steve took hold of her tea and put it next to his coffee, his hands returned to her and laid on her waist to pull her forward. Peggy laid his hands on his bare shoulders as she pressed her forehead against his and took in a deep breath. She felt him lightly kiss her nose.

“Are you okay?” she whimpered.

“Yeah. Don’t worry about me” Steve whispered, kissing her again. He looked to Noah and then said “Was I hallucinating before or…did he call me dad?”

Peggy looked to Noah and nodded “He did” she looked back to Steve “He did”

Steve couldn’t help but let out a small smile out. That was all he ever wanted to hear, even if it was just the once. Peggy kissed his lips softly as she put her hands on his neck and then whispered “I love you  _ so _ much”

“I love you too”

Peggy wrapped her arms around him and hugged him, not too tight through caution. Then, she heard doctors call over to Noah. She pulled back and looked to him, she tapped Steve’s leg to signal that she would only be a minute and walked over to her son. By the time she got over to them, as he walked away, Noah turned to Peggy. He sighed and shrugged “The explosion was closest to her. Doctor said something about it affecting her lungs from the pressure which they’re working on. She has a couple fragments but...it’s lungs that they are worried about, working on them could make them worse. The chance is slim but-”

“Usually when they say there’s a slim chance. It means the outcome is positive, these Doctors are great with the best technology they can work wonders”

Noah scratched the back of his neck and said nothing, he just walked over to the seats and sat himself down as he took the cup of coffee in his hands. Peggy stared at him, she then rubbed her lips together and walked over to him, sitting beside him “Do you remember. When your hamster got sick” 

Noah kept his eyes on the floor but turned his head slightly “Please don’t tell me you are going to compare my girlfriend to my hamster” 

“Wait I have a moral ending I promise” Peggy nudged her shoulder with his. She cleared her throat and said “I took him to the vets with you. And I remember you _bawling_ in the reception area because you were convinced that the vet couldn’t help him. And what happened?”

Noah rolled his eyes “He came out as good as new”

“Exactly” Peggy said as he folded her arms and crossed one leg over the other as she leaned back in the seat. Noah nodded and then took in a breath before then going ahead with what he thought about “He did die, like...a month later though”

Peggy looked to him and stared in silence for a moment before shrugging her shoulders “That’s not the point. He died because he chewed on the plastic in his cage and choked whilst we were all asleep, that will teach me for letting you have a nocturnal pet”

“All I wanted was a puppy” Noah muttered under his breath. 

“The last time we had this argument it lasted over an hour let’s not do it again” Peggy rested her chin on his shoulder and looked to him “But admit it, I’m helping you take your mind off of it?”

Noah acted as he shook his head, Peggy raised her brows and muttered “No?”

Noah shook his head once again but then nodded “Little bit” Peggy smiled and stroked the back of his head, she looked back over to Steve, who grabbed his vest top or put it back on as he nodded and listened to the doctors words. She saw the look on his face and could tell that he didn’t understand a word. Peggy patted Noah’s back and walked over to them, Steve looked to her and whispered as he put his hand on her back “Help”

Peggy giggled and looked to the nurse, asking her in german to repeat. 

“Captain Rogers _muss diese zweimal täglich für die nächsten fünf Wochen nehmen. Nur um Schmerzen zu lindern kann er von der Arbeit oder schweres Heben zu bekommen_ ”

Peggy nodded to her and smiled “ _Vielen Dank_ ” she took the bottle of pills out of the nurse's hand and said as she turned to him and looked at the bottle “She said that you need to take these pills twice a day everyday for the next five weeks to ease any pain you might get from work or heavy lifting” 

Steve smirked to her and nodded as he took the bottle from her hand. He hopped off of the bed and muttered in her ear “By the way. You may be the only person who makes german a sexy language” 

Peggy rolled her eyes and slapped his back as they walked over to Noah. Steve then felt himself going back to being serious, he gave Noah a tight smile and slapped his arm “Hey, pal. How’s it all?”

Noah shrugged “She’s being treated on. That’s all I really know. But they don’t  _ think  _ she’ll end up being critical” 

“Well that’s good” 

Noah gave Steve a tight, grateful smile and then looked back down to his rubbing palms. Steve looked down to Peggy who was sat beside Noah, resting her head in her hand, she shrugged and patted her other hand down on the seat next to her for him to join. Steve felt like he didn’t know what to do with himself, it felt oddly different now that he knew his son had finally called him dad. Even if it was just in the heat of the moment. He still called it him. 

Noah kept his head down, looking at his coffee and taking a sip every so often. He then leaned back and rested his head on Peggy’s shoulder and closed his eyes. Peggy rested her head against his as she stroked the back of his hair and looked to Steve, saying in a quiet voice “This whole thing was a damn trap” 

Steve looked to her and sighed as he looked straight ahead again “I know. That Luke guy is a damn good actor” 

“I’m sure he’ll have bolted by now” Peggy muttered as she glanced down to Noah for a moment and then sighed “Von Strucker is one smart bastard. How did he know that we’d come looking for him?”

Steve shrugged “Sure we’ll find out sooner or later” 

Peggy nodded, she turned her head back to Noah and kissed the top of his head as Daniel’s voice came into her head. 

_ “It’s what?” _

_ “It’s not anything yet but I’m fairly certain the bloody thing is dying” Peggy said in a hushed tone as she looked to her nine year old checking up on his hamster that has yet to have moved. She sighed and looked back to him “We should have got him a dog” _

_ “What?” he laughed. _

_ “Dogs live longer and tend to not drop dead within the first few months” _

_ “I thought it wasn’t dead yet” Daniel muttered with an amused smirk. _

_ “Emphasis on the word yet” Peggy raised her brows to him. Her four year old daughter then came running over to them, tugging on Peggy’s pants “Mommy is Noah’s humster dead?” _

_ “No. Evelyn, his hamster isn’t dead”  _

_ “Yet…” Daniel muttered quietly under his breath. Peggy punched his arm to shut up him and kept her eyes on Evelyn “Darling, why don’t you go and fetch your drawing book and we’ll do some colouring together” _

_ Her eyes lit up “Really?!” _

_ “Yes! Go on, off you pop” Peggy folded her arms and looked up to Daniel as Evelyn bounced away “What are we going to do?” _

_ Daniel shrugged “Get a new one whilst he’s out and swap” _

_ “Don’t be lewd” Peggy muttered as her hands went to her hips and looked to her son.  _

_ “Y’know it might not actually die” he said, she looked at him. Not quite sure if he was mocking her or now, by the small smile on his face she could tell that he was being humorous and she rolled her eyes as she let out a small laugh. Perhaps she was just being dramatic.  _

Peggy and Daniel really did debate on doing a swap, they didn’t want him to be broken hearted. She could protect him from things like that, but things like this she couldn’t. And that was something she was going to have to work on. And she’d do it swimmingly, she was his mother after all. 

* * *

It felt like they were in the waiting room for hours. Peggy had to nudge Noah awake when the doctor came over. Noah took in a deep breath as he woke up, seeing the doctor. Noah shot up from his chair “How is she?”

With a pause, the doctor then smiled “She’s in recovery. Miss Romanoff is going to be just fine” 

Noah let out a huge sigh of relief. Hearing Peggy and Steve then do the same. Noah shook the doctor's hand and thanked him. Then turning to Peggy. Noah stared to her and then took a breath as he nodded “She’s gonna be okay”

Peggy let out a sigh of relief and pulled him close, rubbing his back “I told you she would be” she heard Noah let out his own sigh of relief as he had his face buried in her neck, taking in a deep breath. Peggy put her hand on the back of his head till he pulled back and looked to her, giving her a grateful smile for being so supportive. 

Steve stood up from the seat, his hand against his ribs as he did so. He was still a little sore. Noah looked to him and realised that after all this time he hadn’t asked about his well being. 

“Are you okay?” Noah asked with genuine concern. Steve smiled and nodded “I’m just fine. Little sore”

“Well you did get…almost blown up”

Steve laughed, it kind of hurt when he did but it was worth it. After a small moment of silence, with a slight awkward tension through them all being aware that Noah called Steve dad for the first time, he pointed behind him with his thumb to down the hall where Natasha was taken and said “I’m gonna go sit by her bed. Be there for when she wakes up”

“Yeah go ahead, love, I’ll stay with Steve till he’s given the all clear then we’ll come and see her”

Noah nodded and made his way down the hall. Steve looked to her and muttered “But I’ve been given the all clear?”

“I know” Peggy said softly, looking to Steve and saying “But the only person she’ll want to see when waking up is him” she lightly patted his chest and whispered “And you know it’s true because…I know you were wanting me when you woke up”

Steve raised his brows to her as she walked over to his hospital bed to get her tea “Oh is that right?”

Letting out a muttered giggle she nodded to him. 

Noah opened the door and saw her lay in her bed asleep. He quietly shut the door and walked over to her. Scanning her face. She was a little bruised and battered, but she was still Nat. Noah gently took hold of her hand as he sat down in the chair beside her bed. He cleared his throat and smiled to her, with the back of her hand against his cheek as he held it “Hey” he whispered, he rubbed his lips together as he looked down for a moment and said “Don’t tell anyone this but I erm...I’d only ever been this so damn scared once before in my life” 

Noah lifted his eyes to her “You are too important to me to get yourself blown up. You hear?” 

“Loud and clear…” Natasha whispered, then letting out a smirk and opening her eyes to him. Noah sighed and laughed “How long have you been awake?”

“Bout five minutes before you came in but I thought I’d let you have your moment. And I wanted to hear what you’d say to me”

Noah muttered a laugh as he looked down to his hand rubbing hers “Didn’t even get me started” 

“Hm. You can skip the boring parts if you want and just get to the good ones” Natasha dryly joked in her cracked face. Giving him a small smile. Noah licked his lip and looked away from her for a moment, with a little smirk on his face, he shrugged “What would your response be...if I said I loved you” he looked to her “And I don’t mean I love you how I used to love you. I mean really, completely  _ in  _ love with you”

Natasha tried not to blush and tried to contain her grin by tightening it down in a closed smile. Trying to play along and act chilled, she lifted her head up ever so slightly and said “Well. If that were to be the case. I would have to tell you that the feeling would be very much mutual” 

Noah grinned to her. He leaned forward and pressed his lips on hers. Natasha took her hand and put it onto the back of his head, gripping onto his hair. She smiled against his lips before lightly tapping his cheek and saying as she pressed her forehead against his “How’s everyone else?”

“Fine. Sharon and the rest of the team headed back to New York, Steve’s in the clear”

“Where are they?”

“Mom pretended that he needed another check over to give us some time together but yeah...they’re in the waiting room” 

“Your mom does have her damn uses” Natasha muttered as she brought Noah’s lips back onto hers. 

Fifteen minutes later, Steve and Peggy decided they had given the both of them a good enough amount of time before showing their faces. Peggy let out a sigh of relief as soon as she saw Natasha’s face and said as she walked over to the bed “So glad to see you’re alright” 

“Yeah I’m good” Natasha smiled. Sat up straight in her bed, looking better than she did the last time she saw her that’s for sure. Peggy put her hand on the top of Natasha’s head and smiled to her. 

“I should’ve clocked that bomb, I’m sorry” Steve said, with his tail between his legs. Natasha sighed and shook her head to him “Steve it wasn’t down to you. I have just as much skill as you, maybe even more and I didn’t clock it” she gave him a faint smile “It’s alright. Seriously quit taking all the credit”

Steve huffed a small laugh and then said with a soft smile “Glad to see you’re okay”

Natasha nodded as she glanced down to her hand that was holding Noah’s and said “Yeah I’m good. I’ve walked away from worse” she looked to Noah, as if to remind him that it was the case and he needed to remember that. He just gave her a blushing smile from feeling a little embarrassed given how panicky he was and how calm she was. 

Noah rubbed Natasha’s hand when looking up to Peggy and Steve and asked “You guys say that Luke set a trap?”

Steve and Peggy looked to each other to then hear Noah add on “I wasn’t sleeping before guys” 

Peggy sighed, running her fingers through her hair and crossed her arms “We don’t know, baby, we honestly don’t know. It’s a hunch. A gut instinct” 

Noah shrugged “Which is usually to always right” 

Steve looked to her and gave her a look to suggest that Noah did have a point there, he put his hand on her back and said to Noah “And you would have heard me say that we’ll find out sooner or later. It’ll come to us, in the meantime we just keep looking. All we can do” 

Both Noah and Natasha nodded. It’s not as if they could argue against him and protest something to be done, because as smart and tactical as they are. They had nothing to go on right now. Especially not from a hospital bed. 


	25. Chapter 25

As a whole organisation they tried to search and search for answers. Fat load of good that it did them. Noah even sent out a raid team into Luke’s apartment but everything was gone, in fact there was no trace of anyone living her whatsoever.

“Fuck!” Noah groaned as he slapped his hand against the door frame.

“Hey” Natasha turned to him, she gently shook her head “It’s not the end of the world” Natasha made a speedy recovery over the past few months, with the technology that Tony had over here they were able to fix up anything inside her that was damaged. Noah kept his eyes on her for a moment and then just grumbled a groan as he looked away.

“Sorry, chief” Brock Rumlow, leader of the STRIKE team said as he walked over to them “Can’t win em all” 

Noah scratched the back of his head and sighed “Yeah” he walked down the hall of the apartment. Natasha walked beside him and muttered “Drop the vendetta. It wasn’t this Luke guy who planet the damn bomb” 

“I know” he sighed. 

Natasha glanced to him and said “Can you lighten up before tonight? I’m gonna be out of town for god knows how long plus your sister has been wanting this big family dinner thing ever since Steve and Peggy got back together and you and I started things”

“Yes I know. Also it’s just DC, it’s not a trek”

“But with work we won’t be seeing each other half as much” Natasha put her gun back in her holster and walked ahead of him down the stairs “Your mom isn’t too happy about it all of this considering your dad was also blown up and having to come to DC with me but she’s not walking round like someone's killed her dog” 

“Well she’s a better person than I am” Noah said boldly as he trailed behind her. 

“A valid point” Natasha said as she opened the door to outside “Your mom wasn’t too happy with Nick asking Steve to go and stay in DC for a while was she”

“Nope” Noah shook his head “But she’s fine, it’s work. Besides she told me they were used to this kind of thing back in the war. It’s just getting back into the swing of it”

* * *

“Dear god I hate Nick Fury right now” Peggy sighed as Steve kissed her neck. Her back pressed against the elevator wall. They had a fair few floors more to go before reaching her office floor. 

Steve lifted his head to her and said in a low whisper “Can always overrule him” 

“This isn’t a court case” Peggy laughed, pressing her lips against his as she gripped onto his jacket, pulling him even closer. Her leg gently lifting up against his as his hand gripped onto the back of her thigh. 

“When it comes to work, I  _ must  _ share you” she ran her fingers through his hair and added before returning her lips to him “No matter how horrendous that may be” 

“Are you my girlfriend or my boss?” he teased. 

“Both” she whispered in his ear.

Steve took hold of both of her hands and gripped onto her wrists as he pinned her to the wall. Peggy let out a breathless grin “Look who’s taking control now”

“I deserve a turn every once in awhile” Steve grumbled with a smirk, brushing his tongue back against hers. Peggy let out a quiet moan as she sunk deeper into his kiss. Steve entwined his fingers with hers as he kept their lips together. 

The sad noise of the elevator  _ ding  _ rung in their ears. The pair of them both groaned. Peggy still gripped onto him though and pushed him into the office. Steve let out a laugh as he leaned against the desk “Director Carter. You’re being very unprofessional” 

“I wouldn’t want to bore you” Peggy said as she  _ marched  _ over to him and kissed him hard “I have to take advantage of every waking moment I have with you to drag me over the next few weeks”

“You say that like I’m not going to be an hour away”

Peggy pulled back and said as she rested her arms on his shoulders “Would you rather me stop?”

“No” Steve quickly answered back as he pulled her waist to his. Peggy’s phone suddenly rang, with her eyes still closed in a deep kissing session. She put her speaker on and said as Steve kissed her neck in absence of her lips “Hello?”

_ “Momma?”  _ her daughter voice came through. Peggy quickly pulled away from Steve and took her phone off speaker as she took it to her ear “Hi love” 

_ “Hey I was just checking to see what time you guys are coming tonight” _

“We agreed on six I believe” 

_ “You sure you won’t be held back by work?” _

Peggy smiled as she looked down to her papers and said “No love I’m sure. You’re my main priority tonight” 

_ “Well I feel so special”  _ Evelyn dryly joked  _ “Okay six good. Tell Noah that bout fifty times and he may actually remember”  _

Peggy giggled and nodded “I’ll add it to my list of agendas, sweetheart, I’ll see you later I just have some…” she looked to Steve and cleared her throat “Things to do before tonight”

_ “Okay! I’ll see you later on”  _

“Alright, darling, I love you” Peggy hung up the phone and looked back to Steve, giving him a soft smile “Six o’clock” 

“Six o’clock” Steve nodded “Yes ma’am. She excited?”

“You mean is my daughter excited that she’s having the whole family round for dinner for a meal that she has been dying to cook for months? Yes she may be just a tad” 

Steve rolled his eyes and looked down to his hands. Peggy tilted her head and walked back over to him “Are you nervous? About tonight?” she put her hands on his shoulders, putting one under his chin for a moment to lift his head to her before placing it back where it was. 

Steve put his hands on her waist and sighed “Little. I mean they all knew Daniel. Even though he passed before her husband and kids got to meet him they all still know him? If that makes sense”

“It does. You mean they all have spent the years with Evelyn with the ideal and knowledge of Daniel...and what? You think you’re going to shatter that?” Peggy stroked the bottom of his hair at the back “Darling my children just want me to be happy and they know that it is  _ you  _ that makes me happy” 

Steve kissed her arm and then said as he lifted his head “But...I know that if I was in her situation and I saw my mom with this new guy who she doesn’t know-”

“Okay, first of all. You are not just some new guy and Evelyn knows that. Second of all, yes it may be a weird feeling at first but look at Noah. The most protective child of my two. And funnily enough he got over it fairly quickly”

“Yeah but Noah and I spent months bonding...Evelyn barely knows me”

“Which is why she has organised this dinner” Peggy gave him a gentle kiss and looked back into his eyes “You’re overthinking it. Evelyn is the most loving person in the world. And she isn’t looking for a step dad. She’s sixty one years old I think she is passed that worry” 

Steve muttered a small laugh “You’re makin’ fun of me” 

“Of course I am” Peggy kissed his forehead. Then smiling to him and patting his arms before going back over to her desk. 

* * *

Peggy took a small step back after knocking on Evelyn’s door and turned to Steve. Noah was behind them with Natasha, he too looked to Steve and looked at him up and down “Steve quit fidgeting” 

“I’m sorry-”

The front door opened, you could hear the jazz music that was playing from the living room stereo. Evelyn grinned to them “Hi!” 

“Hi love” Peggy smiled, stepping forward and kissing her daughter's cheek to then hug onto her tightly, rocking her side to side for a moment and then saying “Are they in the back?”

“Yeah in the kitchen with Sharon” Evelyn smiled. Peggy walked in the hall and turned to Steve, mouthing to him  _ ‘Smile’  _ he was so nervous that he forgot to do even that. Steve shook his head and smiled to Evelyn as he stepped forward “Evelyn. Hi. Good to s-see you again”

“You too, Steve” Evelyn welcomed him with open arms, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek “Glad you could come”

“Oh wouldn’t miss it” Steve said with a nervous laugh, he walked in to see Peggy mock him by giving him a thumbs up, he slapped her hand and nudged her down the hall as she took her coat off. 

Evelyn turned to Noah and Natasha and pointed to behind her with her thumb “Is he okay?”

“Just a little nervous” Noah laughed, he took hold of her hands and roughly pulled her close “Now bring it in” Evelyn slapped her hands on her brother’s back and rubbed it as he carried her in the house and down the hall a little, with Natasha closing the door behind them and lightly hitting his back “Put her down and let me get some sugar” 

Noah put her down, Evelyn looked to her and held her arms out to her “Looking as beautiful as ever, what did my brother do to deserve you?” 

“We have our top scientist on that question” Natasha dryly joked back as she hugged her. 

“Ey, I brought your favourite bottle of red and everything” Noah said as he held it up, for it to then be snatched out of his hand by Evelyn as she passed him into the back, Noah looked to Natasha and raised his brows to her for a second as he put his arm around her back. 

Steve was soon acquainted with Evelyn’s husband Hank and her two daughters Emily and Sarah. Emily was married to James and had a seven yean year old son and Sarah was currently dating Ashley but had work so she couldn’t make it. But they were all very chilled people and were genuinely happy to meet Steve. Emily had met him a few times before on the odd occasion that he’d drop by when Peggy came to visit but he had never met her husband or son and usually Sarah is out of town working in Chicago. 

Hank, James and even seven year old Nathan were extremely star struck by having the first ever superhero in their presence. Hank and James could be subtle but Nathan sure couldn’t. Especially since his choice of clothing for this evening was a Captain America sweater and was then asking him loads of questions. Steve found himself soon sat on the couch with the young boy next to him asking all sorts. Peggy watched from a far and saw how well Steve was with him. It made her think about how great of a dad he would have been with Noah when he was that age. It even made her think about more children, but apparently that wasn’t on the cards for her, for  _ them _ . 

Peggy smiled and then walked into the kitchen where the rest of the girls were, Natasha handed Peggy a glass of wine as soon as she walked in in the midst of Evelyn laughing as she told a story “So Hank comes in. Barely even noticing that y’know. The whole kitchen was burnt to a crisp. Without looking up, he just sniffs and says ‘Honey. Are you cooking pork’?” 

They all laughed, Evelyn pointed to Peggy and said “Momma did you ever cook? I don’t remember you cooking?” then there was a load mocking laugh coming from her son who was in the living room with the guys. Peggy scoffed “Be quiet!” 

She looked back to Evelyn and shook her head as she stood up straight against the counter “No. I...couldn’t cook to save my life. Your dad was the one who could cook, a very good cook at that” 

Noah popped his head in to grab another bottle of beer and said “She’d burn cereal” 

Peggy swatted his shoulder and pushed him away before he could say more embarrassing things about her and her inadequate cooking skills. 

They soon mingled with the rest of the family. Evelyn walked over to Noah and bumped her hip to his “So. You and Natasha at last ey?”

“It’s been many months now, Evie” Noah laughed.

“I know I just get shocked everytime I see it. I still don’t know why she’s wasting her time on you” she teased with a cheeky smirk at him. Noah rolled his eyes and laughed “You always encouraged it”

“Mostly because I’m far too old and married to go there so at least one of us Carter’s should go for it”

Noah put a peanut in his mouth and nodded his head to behind him “Maybe I should keep an eye on Momma then if you’re giving the same talk” 

Evelyn laughed and punched his arm “Idiot...she and Steve head off to DC though tomorrow?”

“Yeah. Nick wants them to work with the STRIKE team for a bit and do some groundwork over there. Steve’s moving back in his apartment, Natasha is taking my car” he rolled his eyes “Sharon’s heading back too”

“Yeah she mentioned, she’s stationed over there more than here though anyway, right?”

“Uh huh” Noah looked over his shoulder to Peggy, Sharon and Natasha all chatting together along with Hank. Noah turned back to Evelyn as she said “STRIKE? That-that cocky bastard Rumlow you’ve talked about”

“Yeah” Noah rolled his eyes “He’s got the eyes for Nat”

“Ah, that’s why you don’t like him”

“I’ve never really been a fan”

“You’ve always been jealous though” Evelyn cocked an eyebrow to him. Noah once again rolled his eyes but he didn’t argue with her because then he would just be flat out lying.

“How’s she doing?”

“She’s good. Nat’s always good”

“I know” Evelyn nodded as she held her glass close to her chest and then added “Just catch the son of a bitch who hurt her okay?”

“Believe me I will” He smiled and then quickly got off the subject by nudging her arm and asking “What do ya think of Steve then?”

“I’ve met him before”

“Not properly. Just the odd time he popped in when Ma was dropping you something off” 

“Well regardless. I think he’s great. I can see why she fell for him in the first place”

“Alright, steady on you’re married”

Evelyn laughed and rolled her eyes “I’m just saying. He’s good enough for her, he’s exactly what she needs. More importantly he’s what she wants” she crossed her arms and looked over to Steve, who put his hand on her back and kissed the top of her head whilst they talked with Sharon and Hank, she found herself smiling as she said “Dad would have been happy for her, that she got another shot with Steve”

“You think?”

“Yeah he wasn’t stupid” She said as she looked to him “He was well aware that Steve was her first real love. And no one forgets their first love do they? After all, Auntie Angie was always there”

Noah rolled his eyes “I was  _ not  _ in love with Auntie Angie” 

“Try telling your kid self that. Remember when she first started dating you were heartbroken” 

Noah said nothing and just kept his eyes off of her as she grabbed his chin and playfully shook his head before he slapped her away. 

* * *

Noah sat back in the dining room chair, slapping his hand to his stomach “Damn Ev. You’ve done it again” 

“I try” Evelyn said with a smug smirk on her face. She spent many a times cooking with Daniel growing up. It clearly paid off doing so. Sharon got a buzz on her phone, her eyes briefly widened, she looked to Evelyn and passed her phone to her. 

“New pictures Kate Middleton” 

Peggy looked up with an eyebrow, Evelyn looked up and showed her the picture “The Queen’s grandson’s wife. There’s pregnancy rumours flying around about her”

Noah rocked back on the chair and pointed to Peggy as he laugh “Hey, Ma maybe you’re one of the Prince’s godmothers” Peggy lightly scoffed and rolled her eyes to him before handing over the phone back to a confused Sharon “Okay is that a British joke?”

Noah shook his head “No it’s a  _ Momma and The Queen used to be tight _ kind of joke” Peggy soon had all eyes who weren’t aware on her. Which involved, Sharon, Natasha. Her grandchildren and son in law. Natasha’s eyes shifted to Steve who shrugged and laughed “She told me back in forty three”

Natasha then looked back to Peggy and pointed to her with her fork “You...and the Queen of England...were friends”

“No we. We just met and what do you call it?  _ Hung out _ a few times” she stopped there, as if that itself was self explanatory but it was far from, she cleared her throat and explained “My father played a big part in the first world war and fighting beside him...was George the sixth, Elizabeth’s father and the future king of england. They were war friends and when made King, he often involved my father in negotiations with the navy and army and on the odd few occasions, my mother, Michael and I would attend the family dinner parties. My father and King George did it to distract my mother and the Queen so they could talk business and Elizabeth was there, and” she shrugged “We knew one another”

Sharon rubbed her lips together as it sunk in and nodded “So. Let me catch up, My Aunt was the greatest Agent in SHIELD and SSR history, she taught the next greatest Agent of our time” she paused and elbowed Natasha “Beautiful, strong, skilled and  _ now  _ I’m learning you were friends with Queen Elizabeth”

Noah put his hand on her arm and whispered “She was also there when Queen Elizabeth first met Prince Philip”

“That” Peggy sighed and shrugged “That was a lovely experience actually. Philip and I were...well I suppose still are the same age but I could see how taken Elizabeth was with him”

Steve muttered under his breath with a smirk “Suppose I should be lucky he didn’t flirt with you”

“Oh he did” Peggy nodded to him “ _ Very _ charming and handsome but” she shrugged and laughed to him at his unamused face and slapped his thigh before looking back to Noah as he said “I remember when you cried ‘bout the King dying”

“He was a friend of my dads and...well I couldn’t help but think about Elizabeth and her sister Margaret. I’d be devastated if my father dropped dead when I was at such a young age”

“We had to fly to England, you remember that Ev? It was depressing”

“Of course it was the whole country was in mourning” Peggy said with a light hearted laugh in her voice.

Natasha then looked up and asked “Did she ever hear about you? When people thought you were dead?”

Peggy nodded as she put her glass on the table “Yes Noah has the letter that she sent to my mother when word got out within that circle, expressing her personal condolence and sadness…”

Natasha looked to Noah “Oh, well thank you for keeping that from me” Noah just gave her an innocent smile and sunk further down in his chair “Not something I thought I should be parading about”

“I’ll show you later on” Peggy whispered to her with a wink. She shrugged and shook her head "Hardly a joyous thing but I suppose it is quite... _impressive_ "

* * *

Two hours after dinner, two hours of laughing and telling tales around the living room with wine and small snacks to stuff their faces with even though they weren’t very hungry, after that. It was thought as the best thing to get back to the tower. Steve and Natasha had to get up early to go to DC. As did Sharon. 

When reaching their bedroom. Peggy pushed the door shut with the heel of her shoe whilst holding Steve’s hands, to then be pulled to his body and pressed her lips against his. She walked forward, which led to him walking backwards. Peggy put her hands on his sides and then pushed him down on the bed.

She undressed both herself and him to their underwear and remained lay on top of him, placing her hand on his cheek with her lips barely touching his as he whispered “I thought we came back at this time so I could sleep”

Peggy’s smirk turned into an uncontrollable grin with her tease of “Since when did a nightcap do us any harm for early mornings?” she bit his bottom lip and added “We’ve had enough practise from forty three and have been amazing at it to this day”

Steve put his hand on the back of her head and pressed her lips heavily and roughly back down down onto his. He then grumbled a laugh of his own as he gripped onto her bare waist and whispered “I love you so goddamn much”

“Show me” Peggy tested him. Feeling his smirk grow against her. He surprised her by flipping the position for her to now be underneath him. And for a reason that not even she really knew, she started laughing. He wasn’t exactly complaining, he loved her laugh like you would love your favourite song.

“What?” Steve laughed as he rested his chin on her chest and looked to her. Peggy shook her head, putting her hand on her forehead and still letting out a small fit of giggles “I don’t know. The sudden dominance you just took. I found it somewhat humorous”

“Because you usually take control?”

“Exactly” Peggy nodded. He went to kiss her, but she just laughed still, Steve sighed with an amused smirk and dropped his head, pressing his forehead down on her chest as he felt her stomach wiggle from her laughing “You’re making this impossible”

“Mm, I’m sorry” Peggy settled herself own and pulled his head to her, kissing him gently. Running her hands down his bare back and digging her nails down into it. Steve heard her moan in his mouth which just got him more and more hot.

“You sure I have to go DC?” he groaned against her lips. She let out another breathless laugh through her nose and whispered “If you’re suggesting I won’t be able to function without you  _ satisfying  _ me for the next few weeks then you are very much mistaken”

“I’m thinking more about you satisfying me” he said in a low laugh.

“Is that right?” Peggy giggled, then adding “Well. I better make this count” Peggy smirked and pulled his lips back down onto hers.

* * *

The next morning. Both Steve and Natasha were ready and packed. Leaving their better half's with pouts on their faces. Noah jumped onto Natasha’s suitcase and remained stood on it, looking down to her, he protested “I will give you my car”

Natasha laughed as she put her jacket on. Walking over and effortless pushing him off back onto the bed. Noah lay there on his back and lifted his head to look at her at the bottom of the bed “I hate Fury”

“I’ll be sure to pass that on” Natasha said, walking over to him, she leaned down, her head hovering over his and asked “Now. You gonna lie here and mope or are you gonna wave me goodbye at the platform?”

Noah looked to the ceiling “Umm”

Natasha slapped his arm and stood back up, hearing him laugh behind her as he pulled himself up off of the bed. Taking hold of her suitcase for her and carrying it as he trailed behind her.

Already at the platform was Steve and Peggy, she gripped onto his shirt and pulled him close to her as she wrapped her arms around his neck, slowly dragging her lips away after a moment as Steve kept his hands locked tight around her waist. She ran her hands down his chest from his shoulder “I’m going to miss that for the next few weeks. Well that and some other things”

“ _ Ah _ ” Noah groaned, his face all scrunched up. Shaking his head. He certainly came in at the wrong moment. He looked at Peggy with a cringed look still on his face. Peggy laughed breathlessly through some embarrassment and slid her body off of Steve’s, running her fingers through her hair “Sorry love” she looked to Natasha and nodded to her “You all set to go?”

“Sure am”

Peggy smiled and once again nodded, putting her hands on her hips “Right. Well” she looked to Steve and tilted her head to him as she ordered “Please do a good job”

“Thanks for the faith”

“What I mean is don’t get tangled with Fury. I know you don’t see eye to eye...no pun intended” Peggy lifted her head back up and looked to Natasha “Make sure he stays in line”

“You got it boss” Natasha lightly laughed. Noah turned to Steve, shook his hand and slapped his back after a brief hug “See you in a couple weeks”

“Yeah” Steve smiled. He kissed the top of Peggy’s head and whispered “I’ll be seeing you”

“Bye, love” Peggy rubbed his back and watched him walk to the jet, with Natasha then soon joining him after giving Noah one last kiss goodbye. Peggy watched the jet as the engine started, Noah came up beside her, Peggy looked to him and smiled as she looked back and put her arm over his shoulder “Just you and me now, my lad”

She ruffled his hair and kissed the top of his head as they watched their loved ones fly away. 


	26. Chapter 26

The first week went fast. But the second sure as hell didn’t. 

Natasha called Noah every night and texted 24/7. Peggy had the same with Steve really. Though he was still rather slow at working his phone. She wasn't great either. It was kind of quiet around the old place right now. Maria was also based over there in DC for a bit now.

Noah was actually a little wounded. He used to be the go to guy for field missions but now that the original super soldier is back, they want him whenever they can grab him. He didn’t want to just be an average agent, that’s not who he was. Peggy could tell that he was getting frustrated by it all, so she just tried to keep him as busy as possible. So much so that by it hit the evening she was the one that was tired by trying to think of all these things to find for him to do. She was missing Steve terribly, she didn’t like being without him.

The night she was feeling low, she walked into her office and found a CD disk on her desk. A little gift from Pepper. It was found footage they got from the war, all of Steve and some of the two of them together. It was enough to bring a smile to her face, seeing him in action. Even if it was him in action 70 years ago. After she reminisced, it was too late to do any work. This was her time now, she was officially off the clock. She was sat on the couch in the living area, watching this new show that she had found herself landing into on these nights alone, with Noah of course who also encouraged binge watching films and TV shows. It seemed that they found a new bonding activity. Peggy sat at the corner of the sofa, with her feet tucked up. Noah soon came down, slid in the room with just his woolly grey socks on his feet.

Peggy looked to him “Natasha alright?”

“Yeah she’s good” Noah mumbled as he stepped down the stairs. Looking to the TV and said with a small smile “You’re really getting into this aren’t you?”

Peggy smiled to him as she eventually took her eyes from the screen for a brief moment and said “It’s very good”

“Yeah well it’s on ABC. Don’t get too attached” Noah looked to her and raised a brow “ABC have a habit of cancelling good shows”

Peggy muttered a small laugh “I’ll remember that...are you alright?”

“Just seems dead empty doesn’t it” Noah shrugged.

“Missing your beloved” Peggy teased him, Noah tilted his head to her and came back with “Look who’s talking”

Peggy looked away from him with an amused smirk and said under her breath “Fair enough” she held her arms out to him and motioned for him to come to her. Noah stick his hands in the pockets of his sweat pants and jogged over to her. Slouching himself beside her, Peggy wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on top of his.

“Oh 1950 flashback” Noah mumbled, then hearing Peggy huff a laugh “More like 1946 to present”

“Well. You’re a very comfy person” Noah shrugged. Peggy laughed and said with her eyes still on the TV as she stroked the son’s hair “I’ll take that as a compliment”

“You should”  

“Just don’t fall asleep on me again, your dad isn’t going to come in and put a blanket on us like he used to”

Noah smiled. That was a constant thing Daniel would come home to find. On the nights Peggy got off earlier, put Evelyn to bed, she and Noah would watch  _ The Ed Sullivan show _ or  _ I Love Lucy  _ and often would fall asleep on the couch. And he didn’t have to heart to wake them, so he grabbed a blanket and covered them, taking himself to bed all alone. But it was a nice sight to see.

Peggy’s show ended, Noah reached over and grabbed the remote away from her. Peggy looked at a point in the room, wondering on what just happened, she looked to him and watched him “What are you doing?”

“Putting on...the channel...that shows…” Noah said no more as the channel was found and the opening of _ I Love Lucy _ played. Peggy laughed and excitedly slapped Noah’s shoulder. This was their show, and it was still insanely funny.

The following afternoon. Noah was doing his own file work, getting text from Natasha with very inappropriate puns made all with emojis. At least someone was helping him get through the day. He hadn’t seen Peggy all day, she’s been stuck in her office all day on phone calls with the council. And Steve at some point. 

He found himself so bored at one point that he was spinning around in his chair for what must have been five minutes before he got a video call request on his big screen in his office.

**AGENT: JOHNSON, SKYE.**

Noah raised his brows and smirked. Well he hadn’t heard from that one for a few weeks now. Noah was the one who led Coulson to her. He was aware of her work for months before his little project team picked her up. It was just good to have Coulson actually breathing. Noah had become like some kind of brotherly figure to Skye over the months that she’s been with this organisation, he was the one who always gave her advice and talks. Noah sat back in his chair as he accepted the call. He smiled “Hey kid, how’s-”

“Noah!” Skye yelled as her connection was slowly coming through to see him, he knew from that moment that something was wrong. Noah stood up and walked closer to the screen “Skye? What is it?”

“It-it’s Ward! Ward! You’ve got to warn people! Noah!”

“Skye, Skye. Slow down, take some breaths. What about Ward? What’s he done now?”

Skye shook her head with tears in her eyes “He’s a-apart of Hydra. They’re still here! They’ve been here this whole time”

Noah slowly dropped his arms from being crossed, he felt a lump grow in his throat “You mean...here...in SHIELD?”

Skye just nodded. Noah took a deep breath to try and keep his composure. He had to go and find his mom and tell her, Noah held his hand up and said “Are you safe?”

“Yeah. I’m with Coulson. I’m just...shaken I’m sorry I freaked”

“You don’t have to apologise to me. I’m just glad you’re alright. I’ll go get my mom, tell her. We’ll figure this out. Just keep on alert, I might call for you guys to come in”

Skye nodded and gulped heavily. Noah nodded to her and then ended the call, he raced up to the elevator, clicking on the buttons as fast and repetitive as he could. Usually it doesn’t feel like it took long, but today, right now it did. Noah ran down the hall as soon as the elevator doors opened. He didn’t bother to knock on the door, he just walked in “Mom, we’ve got a huge breach. It’s SHIELD. We’ve been...what is it?”

Peggy kept her eyes locked down on the phone that she just got off. Taking in a deep breath, she looked up. Her eyes glazed over with tears, she then said in a dry voice “That was your dad-Steve. He…” she took a breath and then just came out with it “Fury is dead”

Noah stared at her, his jaw slightly dropping. Noah slowly walked towards her and shook her head “N-No he...he can’t he…”

Peggy knew how much Fury secretly meant to Noah. Noah chose Fury to take his place as Director for a good reason, he walked closely with him. Trained him even when Fury was in the academy. Peggy met him halfway and put her hands to his cheeks “I’m so sorry baby”

“How?”

“It looks like an assassination. Steve said he chased the guy, strong and fast. He said he had a metal arm”

“The Winter Soldier” Noah whispered to himself. Peggy dropped her hands from his cheeks and stared at him, with curiousity “Who?”

Noah shook his head and closed his eyes for a brief moment as he tried to come back down to earth, he cleared his throat before saying “He..he’s like this legend. A ghost story I guess, a guy who had been credited for like over two dozen assassinations. Before Natasha came along I didn’t believe it, but Natasha has had experience, that bullet scar on her hip. You’ve seen it right?”

Peggy nodded but remained silent. Noah shrugged and nodded “That was his handy work”

“Why has he never been found?”

“You can’t find someone like that. They find you. Momma he’s called a ghost story for a reason, he does his damage and then disappears. Believe me, I’ve learned that there has been many hunts for him, all failed”

Peggy sighed and then heard him say “But I think I know why this stuff has been happening. The explosion. Nick…”

“What is it?” she asked in a gentle voice, rubbing his arm.

“Momma. Hydra has been sitting underneath us this whole team, members of SHIELD...they’re secretly Hydra”

“What?” she said in a small gasp, breath getting caught in her throat.

“For god knows how long” Noah said with a cry, he bowed his head “I feel like it’s my fault. Skye said they’ve been here the whole time...I should’ve clock it. This was your organisation. You built this from the ground and I-”

“Noah stop” Peggy whispered.

“I could’ve done better. I mess up with everything. I’m sorry momma. I’m so-”

“Noah” she whispered again, pulling him close and hugging him tightly cradling his head as his buried his face in her shoulder. Peggy rubbed his back and said “If it was here the whole time. Then I should have clocked it. I was the Director for nearly ten years before...but blaming ourselves isn’t going to do us any good. All we can do now is go forward”

Peggy pulled back and gave him a small smile as she touched his cheek, then. A slow realisation crept on her face. Noah’s eyebrows pinched together “What is it?”

“If...if Hydra in SHIELD. Right now then…” Peggy took a step back and walked back to her desk, then whispering “Steve” she picked up the phone and rang him. It rang and rang. She soon grew impatient. Peggy’s foot tapped on the floor at a frequent speed as she looked out the window “Pick up. Please pick up, darling”

_ “You reached Steve Rogers. Sorry I can’t come to the phone right now, leave a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible” _

“Steve, love, it’s me. You have get Natasha. Get Sharon and come back here, it isn’t safe over there. SHIELD has had Hydra growing inside of it this whole time...I want you here with me because I’m already scared stiff on what might happen to you, so please call me and get back here. I love you”

Peggy hung up the phone, and turned to see that Noah was gone “Noah?”

She walked out of her office. Then went to the elevator and when the doors opened. She saw Noah walk into her office. She followed him in and saw him grab his phone, he was going to try and call Natasha. But he got the same answer. Noah sighed and cursed under his breath, then left her a message too “Nat. Baby it’s me. Look you gotta call me back as soon as alright? It isn’t safe for you guys to be there. And I know about Nick, I’m sorry. Just please come back to me, alright? We’ll figure this out...I love you, okay?”

Noah hung up and looked up to see Peggy stood at the door frame “We’re those people now? The ones that call their loved ones filled with worry?”

Peggy softly smiled “I’ve been that person ever since you were born”

Peggy wondered if any of Tony’s personally picked staff were with Hydra. There were some in the building right now. They couldn’t raise any alert right now. What if all of them were? Peggy connected Noah’s phone to be the over speaker that went throughout the whole tower and said “Attention. This is Director Carter. This may come to a shock but I have just received information that has led us to believe that SHIELD has been compromised and taken over by Hydra. We urge you not to panic. Captain Rogers and Agent Romanoff are to return here within the next day so stay on alert for more orders. Thank you”

Peggy put the phone down and looked to Noah’s unconvinced face “You think that was a good idea?”

“Well, if there are any snakes around here. We’ll soon find out won’t we?”

Noah raised is brows to her and shrugged, she had a fair point. He just hoped that it wasn’t all of them and they’d have a bad situation on their hands.

* * *

Lucky for them it seemed that Tony actually had good taste and picked wisely. She sent him a message, to all of them. Telling them everything. But she wasn’t quite sure it was that they could do. Steve then messaged them not to get involved unless he asks them too. There’s no need for the Avengers just yet. 

Peggy soon got a video call from Sharon, who snuck away to her apartment to talk. And Peggy wasn’t too pleased to see that her niece was currently in DC whilst Steve and Natasha were on the move, so much so that her first words were “What the bloody hell are you doing there?”

Sharon sighed “I know I’m sorry I missed the window to get out of here. But hey maybe it’s a good thing”

“A good thing? A good thing that my niece has been left in DC with potential maniacs that are running SHIELD?”

Sharon smirked and then nodded slowly “I am your niece. You’re right. And what am I from being your niece?”

Peggy crossed her arms and sighed as she leaned against the desk, just knowing where this conversation was going to go “A brilliant agent”

“You said so yourself. Don’t worry Pegs I can take care of myself over here...look at me as your inside view”

“For how long? They obviously know we’re related-”

“The minute things go on stir I’ll bolt. Or stand and fight. Either way I’ll be good, you don’t have to worry about me till I let you know otherwise”

Peggy remained silent for a moment and then said “Is that supposed to reassure me?”

“Come on Peg” Sharon said with a laugh, flashing her a bright smile “Trust me”

Peggy stared at her and then sighed as she gave in and nodded, shrugging her shoulders again and dropping her arms “Alright, alright. Just...just be careful Sharon”

“It’s like you don’t know me at all...how’s Noah holding up about Nick?”

“He’s upset. But he’s soldiering through, I just think he’s focused on getting justice for him” Peggy looked to the picture frame she had of him on her desk from when he was nine and sighed once again “I worry about that boy”

“We all do” Sharon shrugged, giving Peggy a smile as she looked back to her. Sharon took a breath and looked down to the time on her phone “I better get some sleep, we all should. If we can”

“I’m not sure I will do. I’ll be too busy nervous wondering where abouts my other half is”

“Have you not heard from him?”

“Not since this afternoon” Peggy said with a hint of worry in her tone “Have you not seen him?”

Sharon shook her head “Sorry. But don’t worry, he and Natasha are pretty discreet so they probably got away through the whole under the radar thing”

“Yes. They got that from me” Peggy said in a quiet tone, almost talking to herself. Peggy looked back to Sharon’s big face on the screen, she sighed out a small smile “Fine. You can stay put, just be careful and keep me updated, understood?”

“Crystal clear. I’ll see you soon, Aunt Peg”

“Stay safe, sweetheart”

The screen went back and Peggy was back to being alone, at least for a small while before Noah came back up to the office. Glancing to the screen and then damning to himself for missing Sharon “Damn. She okay?”

“She’ll be fine, but she’s staying in DC”

“She’s what?”

“She promises to be careful and keep us updated”

Noah put his hands in his pockets “Well may do us a benefit. She could get us information”

“You two have the same intellectual skills” Peggy said with a small smirk, then asking “Have you heard from your father or Natasha?”

Noah looked at her for a moment, feeling that she kept referring to Steve as his father more often than not these days because of his little slip after the whole bomb thing, but he let it slide and just answered her question “No I haven’t”

Peggy tutted under her breath and looked away from him. Noah stared at her and tried to read her face “You don’t think somethin bads happened, do you?”

Peggy soon looked back to him and shook her head, extending her arm to him and grabbing hold of his hand “No, baby, I’m sure everything is fine”

“Momma I’m not ten anymore”

“I know” Peggy said, rubbing his hand “I know and I still mean it, trust me. They’ll be fine”

Noah sighed as she rubbed his arm once more before turning and looking out to the view from her office.

She was totally freaking out inside. Peggy folded her arms and took a deep breath, briefly visiting a past memory.

_ It was dark and cold. Peggy didn’t think about bringing a coat to the pub. She was too busy teasing Steve from across the room another one of her dresses that did her figure every kind of justice. This one was navy blue. With the Commandos laughing and encouraging her to make him squirm, it was fun being the only ones who know their little secret. From across the pub, Steve gently smiled to her and then nodded to outside, getting her expression of approval, they left discreetly without getting noticed. _

_ Peggy purposely made out she was colder than she actually was so that he’d give her his jacket, which he did. Of course he did. She’d bagged herself a gentleman. Peggy slipped her hand in his when they were at a good enough distance from the pub and the drunken soldiers roaming around. _

_ Peggy said in a dramatic sigh “Lord I miss normal civilisation” she looked to him as their hands rocked back and forth “And all because of you, before you I didn’t care much”  _

_ “Are you just dying to show me off?” he teased her. _

_ “Perhaps” Peggy smirked as they stopped in the middle of the street for a moment, his hands gripping loosely onto her waist, looking into her eyes, with the odd glance to her desirable lips, then hearing her ask in a soft whisper “Is that so wrong?” _

_ “No. In fact, I’d like to do the very same. Folks back in my neighbourhood would think I’m making up a woman as beautiful as you” _

_ Peggy grinned and leaned her lips towards him, whispering before kissing him “Good answer” _

_ Steve put his hand on her jaw, his fingertips pushing down on the back of her neck as he pulled her closer. She then made him laugh by playing the gentlemen and wrapping the coat around him from knowing for a fact that he was cold but didn’t want to say anything “You always know what I’m thinking. Not fair” _

_ Peggy rubbed her lips together as she ran her hands up and down his forearms “Do you know what I’m thinking?” _

_ “What?” he asked in a whisper, lightly rubbing his nose against hers for a brief moment before locking back into her eyes. Peggy couldn’t help but let her smile slip as she said “How warm my bed is right now” _

_ Steve let out a breathless grin, listening to her soft giggle with her biting her lip. Steve shook his head with a smile still on his face and grumbled as he took his lips back to hers “I love the way you think” _

She didn’t know it then, but that was the night that she got pregnant.

* * *

It went dark. With still no word, Peggy’s composure began to peel away. She wanted to stay calm for Noah’s sake, as the mother she was supposed to be brave and say everything was okay. But like Noah said before, he wasn’t a kid, he knew something was up. Peggy scraped her fingernails through the sides of her hair as she paced up and down the living room. With Noah leaning against the glass to look out to the city, looking to Peggy every so often but couldn’t find anything to say with his own worry building up inside him. 

Peggy didn’t know what to think. Sharon had text her a while ago and said that everything was as okay as it could be for now over in DC, that she and Maria were working together to try and get things figured out, but no word on Steve or Natasha.

Suddenly, there was a voice over from JARVIS  _ “Director. I believe Captain Rogers is now entering the premises” _

“Peggy!” She finally heard his voice call from the levels down.

“Steve!” Peggy bolted with Noah behind her. They didn’t bother using the elevator that would take too long, they ran down the stairs. Noah jumped down a few steps and they finally got to them. Peggy just saw Steve and no one else, everyone and everything went blurry to her, she just ran and jumped into his arms. Steve sighed with relief to have her in his arms again, putting his hand on the back of her head and saying in her ear “Oh god baby, I’ve missed you”

Peggy slapped his back before hugging him tighter “You didn’t respond to my call. I’ve been worried sick”

“Sorry. Stuff came up…” she pulled back and saw the grim expression on his face. Before questioning it, she looked over and saw Noah cautiously scoop Natasha up into his arms as she help onto her bleeding shoulder, beside some guy who she had never seen before, Steve motioned his hand to the man and said “Peggy, this is Sam Wilson. Sam, this is Peggy”

“Ma’am” Sam smiled with a nod, shaking her hand “Steve’s said all good things about you”

“He better had” Peggy said as she shook his hand and returning it back to her side, she looked to Natasha and nodded to her “Nat, what happened love?”

“Shot” Natasha simply said, then groaning through the pain. Noah glanced to Peggy  _ ‘nothing to worry about’  _ and kept his arm around her “Come on, I’ll get you cleaned up”

She was lucky her right hand man was medically trained in removing bullets. Sam looked from them to Steve and Peggy. Looking to Steve, Peggy picked up that there was something she didn’t know. Sam pointed to Noah and Natasha “I’ll just go um...clean my face” 

Peggy watched him walk away before looking back up to Steve, who was lost in what seemed to be a sad and isolated thought. Peggy rubbed her lips together and squeezed his arm to get his attention back to her “Steve”

After a long second. He looked to her. Peggy gently raised her brows to him “What’s going on?”

Steve sighed and gulped heavily “On our way here. Something happened on the freeway...we were stopped, well attempted to be stopped. By an Agent of Hydra”

“Yes...we’ve heard about the whole Hydra thing from a student of Noah’s I...what? Someone you knew?” she was partly joking, but the glum look on his face made her suggest that he was no joking matter.

Steve too k a breath and then said in a shaken voice “Bucky. He’s alive. And he tried to kill us” 


	27. Chapter 27

“Getting blown up and now a bullet in you” Noah said, shaking his head as he took the damn thing out of her and into the metal dish beside them. He rested his hands on the bed she was sat up on and raised his brows to her “If you want out of this relationship just say, you don’t have to get yourself killed”

“Shut up” Natasha lightly laughed.

“So you two are a thing then huh?” Sam said with a smirk as he crossed his arms and leaned against the counter, Noah looked to him as he stood up straight and then went on to clean Natasha’s cut before dressing it “What gave it away?”

Sam laughed and walked forward “So fill me in. Bout this whole being the same age as your mom and dad thing. What happened?”

“Well. Steve had the serum in him which enhanced him, made his age process slower and that was passed genetically through to me so I did the same. And my mom, when she was taken by Hydra, they did the same thing to her so here we are”

“Is it weird?”

Noah looked to Sam and then shook his head as he grabbed an antiseptic wipe “Nah, y’know. I thought it would be but it just flows, it’s a weird situation but it doesn’t feel like it so,  it’s good. Anyway what about you? You teamed up with Steve and John McClane over here” Natasha swatted his arm as he walked away and put all the used wiped and bullet in the right disposable container, Noah carried on with “What’s your story?”

“I met your dad. Steve. Couple weeks back during my run...can you run as fast as him?”

“Yep” Noah said straight away without even giving it a thought, they race sometimes. Steve usually loses, sometimes genuine, sometimes on purpose to boost Noah’s ego. Sam tutted “Great. Anyway we met and when everything went to shit at SHIELD. He came on my door with Natasha asking for help, I was in the army, specialist with a machinery. Wings in fact”

Noah turned to him, with a brow raised and held his hand up to him “You’re Falcon?”

“Oh my god do you know everything?” Natasha muttered as she hopped off of the counter, seeing Noah give her a cocky smirk as he then looked back to Sam as he said “Err yeah that’s me. Supposed to be formally but. I’m here to help”

Noah stared at him for a moment as he wiped his hands with a rag and then just shrugged and nodded “Well thanks...you got it with you?”

“Yeah”

“...Can I-”

“No”

“Worth a shot” Noah threw the rag to the side and patted Natasha’s back as he walked over to the coffee machine. Noah leaned against the counter and looked to Natasha “It’s really Steve’s best friend? The one who tried to kill you all”

Natasha nodded with a sympathetic look on her face, just feeling insanely bad for Steve “Yeah. Well, Steve’s certainly sure. And he knew him better than anyone”

Sam then added on “Makes things worse for the guy. It’s gonna be a whole lot harder to kill someone that you care about”

* * *

Peggy stared at Steve, finding words to gather. She took a breath and broke the silence “You’re absolutely sure? The man we knew dropped from a train”

“And I crashed a plane into the atlantic. You were kidnapped and tortured. Looks like the three of us are hard to kill” Steve muttered, looking at his palms rubbing tightly together.

Peggy sighed again and began to pace up and down her room, just trying to let this all sink in. Steve ran his fingers through his hair. His eyes locked down on the floor, just in pure silence. All he heard was Peggy pacing back and forth across the room. There was one burning thought that was in Steve’s mind and he was trying so hard to bite his tongue.

Peggy then stepped and rested her hand back against the desk. She looked to the ceiling for a moment, closed her eye and sighed “Steve. My darling-”

“Did you know?” he suddenly blurted out. Hardly even expecting that he was going to do it. He thought he could contain himself and shut up. Steve dreadfully took his eyes to her, and her face looked just as horrified and shocked as he imagined. Peggy just stared at him, with her jaw slightly dropped. 

“Did I know?” she repeated slowly to try and grasp onto what he actually just said to her. Peggy looked away from him and let out a bitter laugh through disbelief, then hearing him dig in, which he also didn’t expect himself to do “You were there...for over twenty years. Is it so wrong for me to question-”

“You make it sound like I worked with them” Peggy said with still utter disbelief, she looked back to him “I was a  _ prisoner _ , Steve. I was not an agent for them, I wasn’t allowed to roam the bloody base and do you honestly believe that they would have kept us in the same base? Your best friend and also a man who I grew to have a friendship with? It would have caused havoc these... _ animals _ aren’t stupid”

“I know but-”

“There are  _ no  _ buts” she suddenly snapped “You think I’d keep something like this from you? Me. The same woman who was in that damn war with you, I knew how much Bucky meant to you and how much he still does mean to you? You think that of me do you?”

Steve sighed and said nothing. Which just hurt her even more, Peggy shook her head and then pointed to him sternly as she said “Well if that’s true. I don’t see how I can be the woman that you want to marry”

She pushed herself from the desk and went to walk out of her office. Steve watched her a for a moment and then with his heart suddenly dropping through the fear of her really walking out that door, he shot up and ran to her. Wrapping her arms around her waist from behind to then whisper “No”

Peggy took deep breath as she closed her eyes, just as Steve did as he then added still in a whisper “I’m sorry, I’m sorry baby I’m not thinking straight”

Peggy opened her eyes and laid her hands over his, she bowed her head down as he kissed the back of her neck “I know” she muttered. Turning her head to the side as his lips then pressed against her temple.

“You have to know I don’t think that bout you. I don’t I swear”

Peggy turned her body to press her front against his and wrapped her arms around his neck. He gripped tighter around her waist. Peggy stroked his hair, staring at the wall facing her. She dropped her hand down and let out another sigh “We can’t get heated in this. Hm? We have to stay together during this”

“Yeah” Steve muttered, rubbing her back. Peggy kissed his cheek and pulled her head back to look at him. Cupping his cheeks “You haven’t told me anything about what happened...did you say anything?”

“I saw his face and I just froze...I mean...with you it was all one big rush getting you back, but Bucky I...it was months before I crashed the plane and it’s been even longer in  _ this  _ time”

“I know what you mean” she whispered, putting her hands on his shoulders. She kissed his cheek again, wrapping her arms tighter around him as her lips kept giving him soft quick pecks before pressing the side of her head against his. She just wanted to keep kissing and comforting him, she could tell that his head was all over the place for what this means. What he may have to do.

“Do...do you think he’s-”

“No he’s not like you. When I came face to face with him...I said his name...and he didn’t know who the hell I was or even who he was” he shook his head as he pulled his head away, he didn’t look at her for a moment, he just got lost in his own thought, letting out a deep breath he once again shook his head “There’s nothing of him there”

“You don’t know that for sure”

“I gotta try and get through to him”

Peggy dropped her arms from around his neck and said nothing, which spoke volume in itself, he looked to her “What?”

“Nothing” Peggy moved away and walked over to her desk, Steve turned and looked to her “You don’t think I can”

“I never said that”

“You didn’t have to. You don’t think I can” Steve walked over to her. Peggy sighed, rubbed her lips together and finally explained “It’s just. We both underestimate the things Hydra can do...they could have stripped everything of who he was”

“Stripped his soul too?” Steve muttered.

Peggy bit her lip as she tried to gather the right things to say “Maybe he’s too far gone to reach down to his soul”

“You don’t think it’s worth a shot”

“I never said that” Peggy said with a faint smile “Everyone and everything is worth a shot. We have to strip Hydra down. SHIELD may well go with it, but we won’t write Bucky off. We owe him more than that”

Steve broke a weak smile and said in a dry voice from feeling all choked up “Thank you”

“Of course, love” Peggy tried her best to give him a reassuring smile, then taking a breath and saying “First we have to focus on DC”

“It’s Pierce” Steve quickly came out with. Peggy lifted her head to him, she wanted to say she was shocked but truth be told she always felt like that man was a snake. She just didn’t know what for. She bit her lip and looked back down to her desk “Hm. Pierce, should have known”

She saw on the machine that she was getting a call from Maria. Peggy looked to Steve “I should answer this, will you go and find Noah and the other two. We all need to talk”

Steve nodded to her and went to leave before hearing her whisper a call back to him, he turned, Peggy put her hand over the phone and whispered “This Sam. He’s okay?”

“Yeah. Trust me” Steve smiled. Then turning back around and leaving. Peggy tugged a brief smile and then looked back down to the desk “Hill. What have you got?”

* * *

“Hill told me something interesting” Peggy said as she walked up and down her office with the four of them listening intently. Peggy slipped her hands in her pockets and stopped pacing, she turned and faced them. Looking to Noah as she said “Fury isn’t dead” 

Every single one of them had their eyebrows suddenly pinched together, Noah looked down the couch to see if he was hearing this right, his head then snapped back to Peggy “You serious?”

“He’s as alive as I am” Peggy said with a long shrug “He faked his death because he knew something was happening, he knew about Pierce”

“And coming here wasn’t an option?” Natasha chimed in.

“The attack on Nick wasn’t ordered by him that  _ was _ an attack sent by Pierce. Bucky being there and shooting him wasn’t random. They did try to kill him, Fury just gave them what they wanted because then-”

“When he makes his dramatic entrance. It’ll stun Pierce” Noah muttered. Peggy just waved her hand to him as her point was made, she put her hands on her hips “For now he lays low. We need to now come up with a way in” Peggy began to pace again and lightly scratched her forehead.

“Pegs. Please stop pacing” Steve said with a light laugh. She didn’t listen. She carried on pacing. It’s how she thinks. She just glanced to him and carried on. Suddenly she stopped, Noah raised his brows and muttered “Uh oh”

“I have an idea”

“Here we go” Noah sat back on the couch and folded his arms, looking to Sam and adding “Fasten your seat belt bird guy”

Peggy put her hands on her hips and thought for a second more. The more she thought about it, the more she realised they didn’t have another choice “We need to get as many people as we can. Who do we have? There’s us. Maria, Sharon. Nick if he dares to pop up from his imaginary grave”

Sam looked to the rest of them and then back to Peggy, he didn’t want to sound cynical but it was almost inevitable “And that’ll be enough to take down what is now believed to be an entire organisation?”

Peggy shook her head as she looked to him “No, not necessarily...but...it may be enough to take off the leads”

“Who are?” Noah looked to Steve and Natasha. Who glanced to each other, Natasha cleared her throat and looked to him “Brock Rumlow, the whole of the STRIKE team are in on it too. Pierce is the lead”

“Okay we need someone to get to Pierce without being caught. None of us can stroll in, not even you Momma. He’ll know now that you know everything”

“Well I could. I’m the still the Director...but um, I have a different idea” Peggy looked to Natasha and raised her brows to her “Would you be willing to play fancy dress?”

Natasha tilted her head to her for a moment “What?” she laughed.

“I need to make a call to Councilwoman Hawley”

“Councilwo... _ why _ ?” Natasha said as she watched Peggy walk over to her desk. Councilwoman Hawley scares her. Peggy muttered a small laugh as she took the phone and put it to her ear “I have an idea just trust me”

Noah looked to Natasha with an amused smirk and mocked in a silent voice “Just trust her”

Natasha swatted his arm and looked back to Peggy with pure anticipation. She didn’t like being kept in the dark, not one bit.

* * *

Natasha stared at the blue suit that Peggy had given her to put on as her disguise to be Councilwoman Hawley. They were going to meet up with Maria in DC and ultimately see Nick again to get all the equipment they’re gonna need. She stared at it, with her fingers strumming against her hips. 

Noah walked in, fixing his sleeve on his SHIELD suit, he smirked and teased her by making a wit woo whistle. Natasha slapped his stomach with the back of her hand before folding her arms again “It’s not funny”

“It’s a mission babe”

“I hate suits” Natasha muttered as she took hold of it on its hanger “And the fact I have to pretend to be Hawley makes it worse” she threw it down on the bed and removed her vest, quite quick that she forgot about her bullet injury and hissed through the pain hitting her. Noah’s head snapped up with concern when he heard her and then saw her put her hand over her shoulder “This is also why your mom is making me do this”

“Good. You don’t want to make it any worse. You gotta remember you’re not invincible. None of us are”

“You’re close enough” She muttered as she put the shirt on and then the blazer. Noah watched her sit on the bed and remove her jeans. He shook his head “You’re stronger than me”

“Oh so do you want to be in the suit? The skirt will suit you” Natasha teased. Noah let out a breathless laugh and looked away from her. He then walked over to her and quickly kissed the top of her head before pushing it and saying “Ten minutes”

Natasha rolled her eyes and groaned as she put on the shoes. She was up and ready within exactly seven minutes. Giving Noah a smug smirk for him doubting she would be so quick. They wouldn’t admit it outloud and not to each other at this moment, but they were all fairly nervous. SHIELD was gone no matter what they tried to think to salvage it, the truth out there was that it was gone. Maybe it was never even there, SHIELD was never just SHIELD. Hydra was always lurking underneath.

It couldn’t be salvaged, but maybe in time it could be built. For now, they just had to put a stop to Pierce and the rest of them. They had to get on the jet and head out to meet Maria at the destination point that she had sent to Peggy via email.

Steve walked over to Peggy, who was also in her field uniform, just by looking at her he knew what she was thinking. Steve walked over to her and placed his hand on her waist as he stood beside her in the jet “Stop it. No one could have known, not even the legend that is Peggy Carter”

“Couldn’t I? Are you sure about that? Or are you just telling me something that I long to hear?”

“I’m always honest” Steve whispered “Especially with you”

Peggy stared at him a little moment longer and then just looked away as she took another deep breath, she turned to Natasha “Are you ready to get us off?”

Natasha nodded to her, sliding her hand away from Noah’s arm and walked over to the pilot's chair. Peggy took a breath as she sat in her seat. Feeling Noah’s eyes burn to her, she just her shook her head and said to him without looking up “Don’t start”

Noah looked to Steve, who shrugged and sat back. If he wasn’t going to argue with her than Noah would take that into account and do the same.

* * *

Natasha landed the jet at the secluded spot that Maria told them to go, to see the agent herself stood in front of the jet with her arms folded. They got off the jet one by one, Maria looked to Sam at the back and nodded at him as Peggy approached her “Who’s this guy?”

“Sam Wilson, ex militant. Trustworthy” Peggy said as she stopped in front of her, she sighed and said with exhaustion “So. Where is he?”

Maria looked at them all and cleared her throat as she crooked her finger towards herself “Follow me”

They all obeyed and let Maria lead them down a path through the woods to then come to what appeared to be an old base, must be one that Nick used to keep tabs in case of scenarios such as this one that they are currently in. Maria led them down hall after hall till finally they reach the room.

Where a bruised and battered Nick Fury lay in bed, looking up to them all “Bout damn time”

Peggy marched over to him and snapped “You could have bloody well told us Nick” Nick looked to her, knowing that what she really meant was that he could have told them for Noah’s sake. The boy would never admit it but he was pretty cut up about his so called death. As was Natasha. Peggy was a protective mother, which is why he understood her sharp words “I’m sorry. But there wasn’t much time to send word. That’s why I ask Hill to get one it as soon as we could”

Noah stepped up to the end of the bed and just looked at him with a stern face, then taking a breath as it slowly dropped and nodded “It’s good to see you alive, Nick”

“Good to be alive” Nick said, then letting out a grumbled cough “As alive as I can be right now”

It was then Natasha who spoke up “What happened? We were there. Your heart stopped”

“Thank Banner” Nick said vaguely. Not going into too much detail but just enough for them to understand. Nick was too hurt to fight, but he did want to be there when all of this went down. Which is why he was going to stay beside Natasha, she was given a mask, something Tony had created, by just a click of a button that remained hid to her ear. Her entire face would alter to look and her voice would change to sound like Councilwoman Hawley. No one would be the wiser to it.

Nick got out of bed and they began to discuss their strategy to take down the carriers.

“If even one of those ships remains operational…” Maria took a breath, shaking her head, she looked to them all and said “A whole lot of people are gonna die”

Peggy crossed her arms, dragging her lip across her bottom lip. She looked to Steve and Noah who had their eyes on her, trying to come to a conclusion on what she was thinking. Nick then added “We have to assume that everyone aboard those carries is hydra, to get past them and insert these serves blades and maybe just maybe we can salvage what’s left-”

Peggy then interrupted him and shook her head “We aren’t salvaging anything, Nick. As much as I hate to admit it because I founded the bloody place, but along with taking down Hydra, we are taking down SHIELD”

“Peggy. SHIELD has nothing to do with this”

Peggy rubbed her forehead and her eyelids, she held her hand out and said “Do you think I want this to be the reality?”

It suddenly went very quiet, everyone looked at her with subtle sympathy. Peggy shook her head and kept her voice calm yet firm “I worked my arse off for seven years. As much as it makes me sick, SHIELD has been compromised. The thing organisation, apart from my children, was my greatest accomplishment. Hydra has been there from the start. They have been under my nose from the very beginning and I couldn’t even see it” Peggy sighed “Do you understand what that feels like?”

“Why do you think we’re meeting in this cave? I know what it feels like, I noticed and that’s why we’re here”

Peggy looked to him, rubbing her finger and thumb together before muttering with her brows raised “How many paid the price before you noticed?”

Nick then looked to Steve, who looked hurt. Even betrayed. Knowing sure as hell that Peggy didn’t know, it was clear to see that they thought he knew. Nick looked around to everyone’s blank expressions to stay out of it “Look, I didn’t know about Barnes”

Steve, stood by Peggy then spoke up “Even if you had would you have told me? Told us? Or would have compartmentalized that too? Peggy’s right, SHIELD, Hydra. It all goes”

Noah nodded “They’re right”

Nick looked to Maria who nodded, then Natasha who did the same and finally Sam “Don’t look at me, I do what he does just slower”

Nick looked to Peggy, who was 100% standing her ground, he sat back in the chair “Well, Director, looks like you and the Captain are giving the orders”  

Peggy and Steve looked to him, then each other. Peggy gave him a tight smile and then walked away. Noah followed her “Momma, you alright?”

Peggy took a deep breath, with her eyes filled up, she put her hands on her hips and lifted her head “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m actually glad your dad isn’t here, so he doesn’t have to see this. He put his blood sweat and tears into this organization” er body shook as she said with a small cry “For  _ me _ , it killed him”

Noah walked in front of her and wrapped his arms around her “Hey, he’s with us, okay?” he kissed the top of her head “He’d be proud of you for making the decision that you just made”

* * *

A little while later, the plan was set in stone. Maria would go with Steve, Peggy, Noah and Sam. All getting themselves into the building, with little fuss along with a few more agents, they had to try and be as quiet about it as possible. Peggy reached Sharon, told her plan. Her position was to remain in the SHIELD building, stay in her station till she gets a signal that tells her to do otherwise.

Steve came back from getting fresh air  _ an hour ago  _ with something in his hand. A replica of his suit from the war. Peggy looked to him and then the suit, pointing to it and asked “Where-”

“Smithsonian. The security guard sucks”

She gave him a watery smile, looking back down to the suit “Well. I haven’t seen this one in a  _ long  _ time”

“Technically you’ve never seen this one. It’s a replica”

Peggy looked to him, then glanced back down to it and muttered as she began to turn away “Alright, don’t be a smart arse”

Steve let out a breathless quick laugh and then took himself to go and get change. Once he was. He found Peggy outside with Noah, holding his hand and resting her head on his shoulder and she talked to him. He walked over to them, with Natasha, Sam and Maria falling behind.

“We ready?” Steve called to them. Peggy stood up straight and looked to Noah with a soft smile “Yeah”

They found themselves all stood in a line as they looked at the compromised building that  _ was  _ SHIELD. Noah looked down the line and then put his hands on his hips, stepping forward a little and ruined the intensity by saying with a grin on his face “Damn. We’re a good looking bunch aren’t we?”

“Jesus” Natasha whispered, seeing his dopey smile in the corner of her eye. Natasha shook her head and shifted out of the stance they were all in and said “I better get back to Nick. I’ll see you guys in the building. Good luck”

She slapped her hand on Noah’s chest and then gripped onto his uniform to pull him close and firmly pressed her lips onto his for a brief moment and then pushed him back “Don’t get killed”

Noah bit his lip as his hand stuck to her waist and nodded to her “Yeah. Love you too” Natasha smirked, rolled her eyes and walked back to the base. Noah watched her walk away and then looked to the rest of them. He shrugged and cleared his throat “Should we get this show on the road?”

Peggy glanced to the building and sighed “Better now than never” 


	28. Chapter 28

Noah went with Steve, Peggy, Maria and Sam to the control room. They were in with no problem given that they had their gun pointed at the agent were in there. For precaution measures of course. He hoped Natasha was doing good.

Steve looked to them all. Noah shook his head and shrugged "Don’t look at me. You’re Captain America. And the guy Pierce wants dead the most so-”

He was soon cut off by getting a back handed slap on his stomach from Peggy “What?” he muttered to her. Peggy sighed and nodded “He is right...about the Captain part not the dead part”

“Though the dead part is also true” Noah whispered, earning himself another slap.

Steve turned around and took a deep breath, leaning against the control pad, he put his finger down on the microphone button “Attention all SHIELD agents. This Steve Rogers. You’ve heard a lot about me over the past few days, some of you were even ordered to hunt me down...I think it’s time you know the truth. SHIELD is not what we thought it was. It was never what we thought it was, not even when Director Carter founded it... Hydra has been hiding underneath here the whole time and has now been taken over by them completely. Alexander Pierce is their leader. The STRIKE and insight crew are Hydra as well. I don’t know how many more, but I know they’re in the building. Could be standing right next to you. They almost have what they want…”

Noah leaned to Maria and whispered “Did he rehearsed this before?”

“Either way he should have been a damn novelist” Maria whispered back to him. Then listening back to Steve.

“I know I’m asking a lot. The price of freedom is high. It always has been...but it’s a price I’m willing to pay and if myself and the people in this room with me are it then so be it. But I’m willing to bet we’re not”

Steve stood back up and turned the mic off. Sam stepped forward and raised the question that was on everyone’s brain “Did you write that down first? Or was it off the top of your head?”

Steve just rolled his eyes and shook it off, he just slapped Sam’s chest and said “Get to the runway”

Sam nodded “On it”

Peggy walked to him and rubbed his back “I’m staying put up here with Maria to keep a birds eye on everything”

Steve nodded to her “Yeah. Good. And Noah you-” Steve turned and saw that he was o longer in the room, Maria looked up from the screen that Noah had seen and said “It’s Rumlow. He’s just gone for Sharon. Cut her arm”

Peggy sighed and quickly ran out of the office to catch up to him. Steve the soon followed.

Noah found Rumlow walked down the hall, staying round the corner for a moment, he jumped out at him and punched him across the face, which made him stumble “Son of a bitch” Noah grumbled. Grabbing hold of his vest and throwing him through office doors.

Rumlow put his hands on the ground and pushed himself up. Letting out a breathless laugh “Y’know, kid. It’s been fun pretending to like you”

Noah smirked “You’re forgetting something here” he grabbed his neck and smashed the back of his head down on the table “You’re the real kid”

Rumlow hit Noah’s arms away and kicked his chest which made him stumble back. Rumlow laughed again “There are no prisoners with Hydra. Just order, and order only comes with pain...you ready for yours?”

“Man shut the hell up” Noah said with an exhausted breath from having to hear his voice even for a moment longer. Rumlow stapped forward and punched Noah right in the face, the blow was so strong that it made him go a little dizzy. Noah shook his head and looked back to him.

“You’re not as strong as they say”

“Still a better man than you” Noah grumbled “And that’s saying something”

“Spare me the  _ teenaged  _ angst” Rumlow took his gun out “Normally I don’t do things like this but, I have work to do” He pointed the gun to Noah who didn’t even flinch “Night night”

Suddenly, Rumlow felt someone tap on his shoulder. He turned and saw Steve standing in front of him, staring at him for a moment he then said with a smug smirk “Get away from my son” Steve headbutted Rumlow and punched him across the face knocking him down. 

Noah stared at him with a confused and annoyed look on his face “The hell are you doing? You’re supposed to be handling-”

“Your mom  _ bolted  _ out the room when she saw that you had left”

“He hurt Sharon I couldn’t let that slide” Noah argued back.

“I know. I’m not saying it was wrong move. I just found you before she did”

Noah scoffed and shrugged “And what? Rescued me? I had it under control I wasn’t going to let him shoot me” Noah kicked Rumlow in the face as he went to get up, he then looked up as Steve said “Look I’m sorry I was just trying to help”

“Well don’t. You're forgetting I’m not some kid. You missed out on that. I’ve been doing this job a lot longer than you have” 

Steve sighed and shook his head “Son-”

“Go and help your war buddy. Or kill him. Before I do...and don’t call me son” Noah stared at him sternly. Steve let out another defeated sigh and looked down to the ground, he took a few steps back before turning about and leaving.

Noah groaned under his breath and wiped his face with his palm. He shouldn’t have done that, he shouldn’t have said those things. He knew Steve was only trying to help but he just isn’t used to being protected by someone in this day in age. A part of him was still trying to push away the feeling of having a father again. 

Noah heard a groan and Rumlow mutter as he stood up again “A very...upsetting moment...between father and son”

“God are you still conscious?” Noah moaned “Thought you’d have stayed down by now”

“Not that easy, junior”

“When are you going to realise that I’m older than you” Noah said as he took a step back and watched Rumlow stand up. Rumlow took in a deep breath as he lifted his head up and cleared his throat “Alright. Let’s have some fun then  _ old man _ . How’s that?”

“Better. Maybe I’ll show you how to respect your damn elders” Noah said as he walked over to him and cracked his knuckles.

* * *

Steve ran into Peggy in the hall and gripped onto her arms as she quickly asked him “Have you seen him?” 

“He’s fine. He’s taking care of Rumlow. Don’t worry about him we gotta let him fight his own battles” Steve grumbled. 

Peggy scanned his face and tilted her head “Are you alright”

“I’m fine. Let’s just get this job done” Steve gave her a fake, weak smile and quickly kissed her forehead before leaving her to get back up to the control room, he was heading to the runway where he’d meet up with Sam. And possibly even Bucky. He knew that he was going to be there, it was just a matter of when he was going to show up.

Peggy went into the Agent's control room where Sharon was. They were cleaning themselves up after the STRIKE team made themselves scarce or dead . Peggy walked in and saw the dead bodies of agents that were loyal to her and this organisation on the floor. It was a sight that she was never used to seeing. Peggy looked over and saw Sharon wrapping a torn piece of her vest that was under her shirt around her cut arm, she quickly made her way over “Sharon-”

Her words came to a halt as she lifted her gun and shot down one of the remaining STRIKE members that didn’t die hard enough before. Sharon jumped for a moment and looked behind her to see him fall, she then let out a sigh of relief and looked back to Peggy “You’re good”

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah just stings that’s all. I’ll be fine” Sharon said as she tightened the knot, well tried to, doing it with one hand was fairly difficult. Peggy stepped forward and did it for her “I want you to stay here with the rest of these agents. Those who are too wounded will stay back, Agents like you who only have the odd wound and are able to carry on, must do so. Work your way through the building, picking off any remains of the STRIKE team that there may be, Noah is certainly taking care of Rumlow after seeing he hurt you. Then make your way outside, there is more fun to be had out there for you all”

“ _ Fun _ ”

Peggy shot her a brief amused look and then pulled on the ends to tighten the knot. She dropped her hands down and raised her brows to her “Understood?”

“Clear as day” Sharon nodded, giving her a tight smile. Peggy rubbed her arm and said “Stay safe, love”

“You too”

“Spread the word to the rest of them” Peggy added on, she took a step back before turning around and leaving the room. Heading back up to Maria. Maria looked up and sat back in her chair as Peggy came in “Everything alright?”

“It will be once we get Pierce’s head on a spike” Peggy said in a light voice, raising her brows as she stood beside her. Looking at the screens, she folded her arms and kept her eyes on them “It’s only just dawning on me that my entire family is in danger right now...even my daughter who’s tucked up safe in New York”

“Well. At least you’ve got family to worry about” Maria said boldly as she messed around with something on the control panel. Peggy looked to Maria, she didn’t comment. Mostly because she wouldn’t know that to say. But she did take it into account.

* * *

Steve made it to a helicarrier. The one that Bucky was on. He needed to try and get his friend back. He looked at him and saw all the memories they had as kids. Running down the street pretending to be aeroplanes, pretending to be gangsters, even just pretending to be rich folk that had a dime to their name. All that seemed to have gone from Bucky’s mind, everything was gone. Perhaps  _ James  _ was gone. But that didn’t mean that he wasn’t going to try. 

Bucky just stared at him, with no emotion in his eyes whatsoever. Steve gulped heavily and finally spoke “People are gonna die Buck...I have a family to think about...I can’t let that happen” there as still nothing. Not even hearing that his best friend had a family. Steve sighed and shook his head “Please don't make me do this”

With no sign of getting through to him that way. Steve had no choice, he had to stop the carriers from pointing to DC. So if he had to fight Bucky to get through to it then that was something he dreaded that he had to do. Steve launched his shield back over to Bucky that he quickly guarded himself from by holding up his metal arm. Steve was then shot in the side by Bucky, a brief hiss of pain and he still carried on. Bucky then came at him with a knife.

It seemed Howard was wrong all of these years ago. Hydra can come at you with a pocket knife. Steve got the chance to get the data files available before having Bucky attacking him again, he pushed him back and quickly took out the right file but didn’t get chance to replace it with their own to defuse the targets. Bucky pushed Steve over the railing and they both came crashing down to the bottom. The file went out of his hand and Bucky picked it up. He couldn’t let that remain.

Steve gripped onto Bucky’s arm and held it out straight, on the verge of breaking it. He pushed his palm against Bucky’s face “Drop it!” he twisted his arm which made Bucky groan with pain, they fell on their back. Steve began to choke Bucky and again told him to drop the file, eventually Bucky lost consciousness and dropped the file on the floor. Steve wasted no time, he grabbed it and ran.

Climbing up back to the data chamber. Then to be shot in the leg as Bucky woke up and regained his composure, Steve groaned and gripped to his leg for a moment, he pulled himself up onto the level and dragged himself over to it, at a pace that wasn’t fast enough to escape more of Bucky’s shot as he was then hit in the back. Steve fell down, he looked down to see the blood show from his stomach where it had torn. He was losing his breath. He had never been shot and hit at so many times. Struggling to even stand, he pulled himself up enough to put the file in the correct slot. Getting rid of all the millions of targets just down to three, the carriers themselves.

* * *

Back in the control room, Peggy and Maria got a clear signal that the carrier targets were now where they wanted and were secure, but Peggy wouldn’t be satisfied till Steve was out of the carrier and secure.

“Alright, Steve get out of there” she ordered to him over her earpiece. When she didn’t get an immediate  response, she felt her blood run cold. Hearing her say in her mind  _ ‘Don’t you dare’ _

Finally he spoke  _ “Fire now” _

Her stomach flipper, quickly shaking her head “No. No I won’t I can’t do that. Steve-”

_ “Peggy listen. I’ll be fine. Just do it” _

She had been here before. Speaking on one end of a speaker in a control room whilst Steve was up in the air, making a drastic decision that could get him killed. It was a sense of deja vu that she pleaded to God to never feel again. Her hand was hovering over the switch on the control pad, but she physically couldn’t bring herself to press it. So it was done for her.

Maria put her hands on Peggy’s arms and pulled her close as she leaned forward from behind her and pressed the button herself, Peggy’s head snapped to the window behind her and saw the helicarriers light up in flames. 

Maria sighed, not even noticing that her arms were still around Peggy. She looked to the floor and then muttered as she looked back up “I’m sorry. We were running out of time”

“It’s okay” Peggy whispered. She knew that it had to be done. She just wish that he would just swallow his pride of jump ship.

* * *

Noah heard Peggy tell him over the earpiece that Steve was still on one of the carries that was currently being blown to smithereens. And all of a sudden, Noah’s stomach also dropped and his heart also flipped. A flood of regret ran through his body after he thought about the last thing he said to him.

_ ‘Don’t call me son’ _

Noah heard Rumlow grumbled a laugh, with Noah’s arm against his throat he managed to say “Damn. Looks like Rogers’ is gonna die thinking his son hates him”

“Shut up” Noah said in a stern yet weak voice. He didn’t want to hear this, he felt like he couldn’t. Again, Rumlow laughed again “God, what a thought process to go through before biting the dust”

“I said shut up!” Noah yelled, throwing him against the room which ended with him landing on a table, Rumlow groaned with his hand on his back. He got up from the table and wouldn’t stop. He cracked his back and neck, he stared to Noah and after a deep breath he said “What is there for his legacy after he’s gone? What is there, huh? Destruction and chaos”

Noah took in a deep breath over his own. Suddenly a flashing thought came through of both Steve and Daniel. Noah clenched his fist and ran towards him, gripping to his shirt again he yelled “ _ I  _ am my  _ fathers  _ legacy” Noah headbutted him and threw him down on the floor.

Noah’s eyes then went from looking down to Rumlow, to above him as he saw a big ass helicarrier coming towards them and had no sign of stopping “Oh shit” he whispered to himself, he starting running. The carrier soon came crashing into the building. He was just thankful his mother was on a completely different part of would remain untouched. As he sprinted, he heard Rumlow’s scream as he was crushed under it but he didn’t stop. He pressed down onto his earpiece “Please tell me you’ve got that chopper in the air!”

He soon heard Natasha’s voice answer him  _ “Noah where are you?” _

“Forty first floor! North west quarter”

_ “We’re on it. Stay where you are!” _

“That’s not an option!” Noah yelled back to her, no longer being able to feel his feet from running so fast, he was running out of floor space. In fact it began to rise as the carrier was catching up to him. Noah put his arms up in a cross and jumped out the window. The chopper was below him “What the hell!” he screamed as he fell. 

Nick tipped the chopper to the side, Natasha caught Noah just in time. With Sam’s help, who was also in the back with Natasha. They lifted him back up as Nick set the chopper straight. Noah caught his breath as he leaned against Natasha’s body as he yelled to Nick “Forty  _ first  _ floor! Forty first!”

“It’s not like they put the floor numbers on the outside of the building!”

“Maybe you and my Ma should get on that!” he turned his head to Natasha and asked with a panic “Any word on my...?”

Natasha frowned and shook her head “No I’m sorry”

Noah sighed, he pressed down on his earpiece “Momma. You got a sighting on him?”

He heard Peggy sigh and weakly mutter  _ “I was just about to ask you the same thing...so I suppose we are both disappointed” _

Noah bowed his head down and roughly rubbed his fingertips against his forehead to then rest it in his palm “He’ll be fine. He always is, right?” he felt Natasha put her hand on his back and softly rub it, giving him a small reassuring smile.

Noah leaned back against the seat and looked to her “If anything-”

Natasha gripped to his chin and kissed him just to stop him from overthinking and rambling. She cupped his cheeks and after a long moment she pulled away and looked into his eyes. Noah sighed a smile and muttered under his breath “Thanks…”

Suddenly, they heard a loud crash sound to their left. They all looked, and to Noah’s absolute horror. He saw Steve. Falling down from a carrier, he wasn’t moving to protect himself from smashing into the water, his back just crashed into it as he went under. Noah’s eyes quickly shifted from him as he saw Bucky jump in after him “No, no, no. He’s gonna kill him. He’s gonna go finish him off”

Noah ripped his earpiece out and tossed it to the side as Natasha tried to grab his arm “No freaking way do not-”

“You gonna let him die? He already might be Nat!” Noah turned her for a moment, throwing Sam’s away as he too tried to stop him. Noah launched himself out of the chopper. Pointing his arms in front of him and dived into the sea.

“Noah!” Natasha yelled at the top of her lungs. Then cursing under her breath. She pressed down on her earpiece and said “Peggy...you’re not going to like what I’m about to say”

* * *

Noah swam faster than he ever had before in his life. He could see Bucky at a far distance drag Steve across the river to shore. He was fast but he had to go even faster. Which he did, god bless the serum because without it he would have had no chance in getting close. But he did. As he got to shore, he was surprised by what he witnessed. Bucky put Steve on the ground, he was expecting to see him go and choke him or shoot him or something. But no, he just let him be.

He didn’t jump in the water to kill him, he jumped in to save him. Bucky just stared at him and then went to walk away, something that he couldn’t let happen. Noah ran as his feet found the ground. He launched himself on Bucky which knocked them both down on the floor. Noah crouched over Bucky and overpowered him as he tried to get away. He did what he thought was best, he punched him over and over and over again before finally Bucky got knocked out.

Noah took a breath and stared at him, it was the first time he had ever seen the man that his parents talked so much about “Sorry...but my folks need you” 

Noah dropped himself off the side of Bucky and caught his breath “Damn…” he looked to the side of him and saw how Steve still hadn’t woke up or moved. Quickly he scurries towards him, putting his hand on his chest and shaking him “Steve? Hey. Hey come on get up”

_ “Dad! Dad! Hey. Come on get up” Noah shook Daniel’s chest, watching his father slowly die from his heartattack. _

Noah shook his head and took Steve’s earpiece. He shook the water out of it and blew down in it to try and dry it inside. Hopefully it would work. He threw his in the chopper because he didn’t think it would and was also not thinking very straight when all of this was going down.

“This is Agent Carter. Hello? This is Agent Carter I need an ambulance and task force team sent to my location immediately Captain Rogers is down. I repeat...Captain Rogers is down”

The earpiece had a tracker on it so he could be found. All he could do now is wait. Noah looked to Steve and felt his eyes fill up, he gulped heavily and whispered “I’m so sorry for what I said” his brows furrowed and shook his head, his voice turned more into a cry “God I’m so sorry” 

He stuck by Steve’s side. He wouldn’t leave him. Noah glanced over his shoulder every so often and checked to see if Bucky was still unconscious, which he was. Noah has more strength than what people and himself gave him credit for.


	29. Chapter 29

It wasn’t long till they found them. The tact team took Bucky, they wouldn’t stop pointing their guns at him even though he was out cold. Noah told them that they didn’t need to do that and insisted that they stopped treating him like some damn animal. The only time Noah had ever seen Bucky, he was trying to kill his family and shot his girlfriend. But he wasn’t stupid, he knew that it wasn’t his fault. By what Steve had said, it sounded like some mind control, like Clint with Loki. Both did what are considered to be terrible things but they are victims just like those were get wounded or even killed by their actions. 

The medical team then came and took Steve. He got in the back of the van and was told that Peggy and the rest of them would meet him there. Noah remained silent in the back of the van with Steve, clutching his hands together as he heard the medical team chatter and list everything that was currently wrong with Steve.

Noah couldn’t help but blame himself, maybe if he hadn’t of spoken to Steve the way he did then he wouldn’t be lay on this bed. Maybe he threw him off his game. He knew that if his son said something like that to him then he’d certainly not be in a focused state of mind. He beat himself up about it so much that he was sat in the hall of the hospital with his head in his hands to try and shield himself being seen crying. Just light sobs but crying nonetheless. He took deep breaths as he tried to control himself.

He then heard quick running footsteps come towards her, then hearing his mother’s voice as she asked in a worried voice “Where is he? Where is he?”

Noah looked up from having his head in his hands and saw Peggy walk down the hall, he shot up “Mom” 

Peggy let out a sigh of relief at seeing someone that she  _ actually  _ knew, and who better than her son? Peggy wrapped her arms him, slapping her hands on his back “Thank god you’re alright...where’s your dad?” Peggy asked as she pulled away, it was then where she took a good look at him and noticed that he was crying, she touched his cheek and wiped his tears.

Noah took a deep breath “They’re working on him now. But they say he’s gonna be fine”

Peggy sighed with relief and smiled “Good. That’s good. Why are you crying, love?”

Noah sighed and sat down. Putting his head back in his hands “It’s my fault”

Peggy stared at him for a moment, fighting off the feel of her tears peeking through, she sat down beside him, putting her arm around his back “Why would you think such a thing?”

“I told him not to call me son. I said that he missed out on me being a kid and that I didn’t need rescuing. I was horrible to him, Momma. It...what if it made him be not as focused and that’s why…” he stopped as he let out a cry, not even daring to look at her because he felt that she’d be furious. But she wasn’t, she knew him better than anyone and she knew that he didn’t mean those things. And she knew why he would have said them.

Peggy kissed his temple and rubbed his back “My baby boy, this isn’t your fault” she put her hand to the back of his head as he looked at her, surprised that she was being kind about it. Peggy softly smiled to him and shook her head a tear ran down her cheek “You’ve been through so much from the moment you were born, your heart is torn because you feel like you are betraying your father by opening up to another” she took hold of his hand and rubbed her lips and she nodded “And I was the same, I felt like I was betraying your father by letting myself get close to Steve again, but you know what? Daniel would want us to open ourselves up to Steve. He was well aware and understanding that Steve was always going to be there, just because he is now physically here would never have changed his mind on that”

Noah’s bottom lip wobbled for a moment, he bowed his head for a brief second as he sniffed his nose and weakly mumbled as he looked back to her “You think?”

“I know. He told me these things. I was his wife” she whispered with a smirk. Noah let out a breathless laugh as he bowed his head again.

“Steve is going to be fine and when he wakes up, you can tell him everything you want to say. And don’t be afraid to, Noah. He won’t laugh in your face because he’s been praying for it ever since he met you...I know, he told me these things, I’m his girlfriend”

Noah muttered a laugh again and sat back “Stop that...hey where’s Nat?”

“She and Sharon are on their way. By the way she’s furious with you for jumping out of that chopper”

“And you?”

“I was at first. Also slightly impressed but that remains between the two of us. I can’t imagine what people would think of a mother who encouraged her son to jump out of a helicopter without any kind of safety equipment”

“A cool one” Noah raised his brows to her with a small smile, feeling a little better now that she had told him everything that he needed to hear. Now that she was being truthful made it all the more better.

Peggy smirked to him and gave him a nudge with her shoulder. Noah looked up when he saw Natasha walk towards him at a very quick pace, he stood up and went to say something, but he was cut off by her slapping him and then grabbing and kissing him straight afterwards, she kissed him hard and kept her hands squashed against his cheeks. She hit his shoulder again and muttered sternly to him “You’re a complete ass, Noah Carter”

Noah tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear “You do care”

“Next time you jump, I jump with you” Natasha said to him, with an expression on her face to make him very aware that she was being serious, Noah smiled and nodded “Okay  _ Rose _ ”

Natasha rolled her eyes and gave him another quick kiss before slapping her hands down onto his arms “How is he?”

“He’s gonna be fine. But...he was lucky”

“And Barnes?”

Peggy then spoke up “He’s been detained and they’re taking him to a padded cell in the tower” she rubbed her palms together and held her hand out as Sharon came over with a tea “He’s going to have to have a psychiatric test to try and sort out what is going on in his head”

“And hopefully recover a piece of who he used to be” Sharon added on “If that’s even gonna be possible”  

“We have the best doctors and technology in the world, if they can’t figure it out then no one can. But I have the utmost faith”

The doctor came down the hall that they took Steve, with his hands held together. Peggy soon stood up along with Sharon, all standing closely together and waiting intently. The doctor dropped his face from looking serious to a more relaxed and kind one “He’s perfectly fine, nothing serious, he’s just going to have to take things easy. Bed rest is suggested”

Peggy let out a breathless laugh “Good luck to me trying to tell him that”

“He’s asking for you” the doctor said as he looked to Noah, which certainly took him by surprised. Peggy let out a warm smile and rubbed his back as he looked to her even more confused. Peggy nodded to down the hall “Go on” 

“Why isn’t he asking for you?”

Peggy tilted her head with a warm expression on her face “Because the last thing on his mind for  _ once  _ wasn’t me” she smirked for a brief moment “The last thing on his mind was patching things up with his son”

Noah took a breath, glanced to Natasha who just gave him a look to encourage him. Sharon also doing the same. Noah looked to the doctor and nodded before walking down the hall and finding the right room.

Noah walked in his room. Steve had his eyes closed. His face was entirely bruised, he had a big stitch across his cheek. He had never seen him so fragile. Noah actually felt tears forming in his eyes again, Noah took a breath, he suddenly felt like a little boy all over again, he had a quick flashback in his mind of a five year old kid, walking over to Peggy rushing to Daniel as he lay in their bed and tried to clean his wound from getting shot in the stomach.

He was so scared. So was she, but she remained brave.

He had to be both, he had been both scared and now he had to be brave. He had to push away that five year old that was breaking out in himself, he tried to be strong. But sometimes, old fellas like him have their breaking point. Noah walked to the chair and sat down beside him, his eyes still fixed on Steve the whole time. He gulped heavily and let out a shaky breath.

Not knowing what to do or say. Noah then heard a grumble come from Steve “Hey…”

Noah looked up to him, his brows pinched together and he once again dropped a deep breath, he shook his head and immediately said “I’m sorry”

“It’s okay” Steve whispered.

“No it’s not. I didn’t mean what I said. Really I didn’t. Bout the whole missing out on me being a kid”

“I did”

“Yeah but it wasn’t your fault and I know that. I do, I don’t blame you for anything...I’m just, the things I said I wish I could take back because when I saw you fall...and then when I was with you and you wouldn’t wake up I felt like a kid again because...because I realize I could be losing my dad all over again and I can’t” he shook his head and cried “I-I need you,  _ dad _ . I didn’t realize how much I did till now but I do, dad, I do”

Steve put his hand on the back of Noah’s head and pulled him close. Noah buried himself in Steve’s chest. Feeling Steve wrap his arms around him and hold him tight. Noah couldn’t help the cries that blubbered out of his mouth. Steve remained his head on top of his with his eyes closed, he didn’t say a word. He just held him. Rubbing his back and cradling his head.

If it took falling out of a helicarrier and almost dying to have Noah realize everything and accept him as a father, then it was all worth it.

* * *

Peggy waited on the outside, she couldn’t help but pace back and forth a small space, with Sharon and Natasha watching her, Natasha pinched her brows together “You do know they said he’s  _ fine _ , right?”

Peggy stopped and let out a breathless laugh, she griped the back of her neck and nodded “Yes. Sorry. I think I’m more nervous for Noah. He said some harsh things to Steve before all of this went down and he was beating himself up about it, nervous what Steve was going to do or say”

“Steve will just be happy to see him, and seeing that Noah actually shows that he gives a damn” Sharon said as she rubbed her palms together. Peggy raised her brows for a moment. She had a fair point.

A little while afterwards, Noah came down the hall. Looking much better than he did before he went in, with a warm expression on his face, he nodded to down the hall where Steve was “ _ Now _ he’s asking for you”

“Has he chucked you out?” Peggy laughed.

“No, I need to use the bathroom and he told me to get you on the way to it. So I’m just doing as I’m told, as any good son would”

Peggy smiled to him, she was proud of him more than he’ll ever know, she gently patted his chest and walked past him to down the hall.

Peggy looked at him through the little window in the door first and then walked in, he gave her a smile as she approached him. Hearing her say in a light hearted sigh “Well. Look at the state of you”

“Reckon you still have the hots for me” he grumbled with a smug smirk on his face, weakly holding his hand out for her. Peggy returned the same expression as she lightly slapped her hand in his “You’re right there”

She leaned forward and kissed him, deeply and filled with tenderness. Putting her hand to his cheek, with caution of course, she didn’t want to hurt him by pressing down on his bruise. She couldn’t stop kissing him if she tried. She didn’t bother to do such a thing. Till she  _ had  _ to come up for breath, Peggy sat down in the chair beside him, with their fingers still threaded together.

“You, my love, have a lot of nerve” her tone was soft, yet he still felt like she was seriously giving him a talking to. He pinched his brows together “Hm?”

“Never ask me to do that again. Never ask me to personally put your life in danger again” 

Steve let out a deep breath through his nose as he finally understood. He looked down and muttered “Oh, that”

“Yes. Oh that. The last time we had a conversation like that. You were six feet under in ice. And I was left alone up until I had our boy”

Steve brought the hand that he was holding up to his mouth and pressed his lips against it “Promise”

“Next time. You find a damn way, are we clear?”

“Yes ma’am. As crystal”

“Good” Peggy relaxed, letting out smile to him. She needed to tell him these things, because he doesn’t think about them himself. He was always so adamant on saving other people and never about how he can figure out a way to save himself. She kissed his shoulder and rested her forehead against it for a moment, feeling him rub the back of her hand with his thumb.

Peggy sat back in her chair and just watched their hands. Staring down at them, it fell silent. Just being in awe of each other. A thought then suddenly crept back into her mind that she was thinking about before when she was waiting to see him, it was on the tip of her tongue to say. But she was hesitant. Then the voice in her head asked  _ ‘What have you got to lose?’ _

Coming down to the conclusion that it felt right, she finally came out and said in a neutral and calm voice “I think we should get married”

She shifted her eyes to him when she saw his head snap to her in the corner of her eye. She saw the shocked look on his face by what she just said. But she remained chilled, her expression remained fair yet serious. He didn’t know if he had drifted off to sleep and was now dreaming because she certainly just said something he longed to hear for  _ seventy years  _ now.

“Did those words just come out of your mouth or do I have a concussion?”

“Are you teasing me?”

“No” he shook his head, shuffling his body to sit up more straight, their hands still together “It’s just...well it wasn’t that long ago, two weeks in fact since I asked and you said no-”

“I said not yet”

“Still”

Peggy rubbed her lips together and gathered that she did owe him a slight explanation, he did ask her to marry him just four weeks ago and she asked him to be patient with her from turning him down right now. She understands that he’d be very confused.

“I know that I said no. I also know that our job is always going to have danger, so it wasn’t exactly this that made me realize...it was part of it of course but it was the effect that this brought with it...I think I was reserved because I thought Noah would go mad, marriage would be such a big thing for him to accept because he’s been pushing you away...but now he’s accepted you as his dad. He wants us to be a family. I can see it and I finally feel like everything has really come together, then I realized it wasn’t Noah who was being so reserved, it was me. I’ve secretly found it hard to accept the concept of getting married again because when I got married I thought that would be my only time…”

Peggy leaned forward and rubbed his arm “But marrying you, is something that I had longed for, because you are the ultimate and the first love of my life. And the final piece to all of this that has been missing is to finally be married to you. Because I accepted your proposal all those years ago and I would like to have it all back now”

She suddenly felt her eyes fill up seeing that his did the same with an overwhelmed smile on his face. Peggy tilted her head with a grin “So. Will you marry me?”

Steve let out a breathless laugh, he rubbed his lips as he took in a deep breath to not be an emotional wreck, because that would make him feel kind of embarrassed, he glanced down to her hands and muttered with a smirk “I thought you’d never ask”

A tear ran down Peggy’s cheek, she leaned forward again and kissed him again. And again and again and again. This time he didn’t care about her pressing on his bruises as he grabbed hold of her waist and pulled her body further down onto his on the bed. Peggy pulled away after giving him long pecks and whispered “I still expect  _ you  _ to buy  _ me  _ a ring”

Steve let out a silent laugh and nodded as he rubbed his nose against hers “Don’t worry. I got it covered”

Peggy grinned “I love you so much”

“I love you too. Because  _ you _ . Are the love of my life too, nothing will ever change that. My heart will always belong to you”

Peggy bit her lip to try and control her grin, she felt like a little girl again when she got her favorite gift for Christmas. She leaped forward to him again clashed her lips against his again letting out a small excited squeal as she did so.

Noah would have walked in on that conversation if it weren’t for the phone call he got when he came back from the bathroom. He ended up spending a while on the phone with Tony, who was asking what the hell had actually happened and why there was a man being  _ shipped  _ to their facility. After that long ass phone call, he had to answer to Evelyn. Who had been trying to call Peggy for a while but he explained that it was with her normal clothes back in New York. He however was very much with the times of young adults and couldn’t go anywhere without it. So eventually he did get off the phone and when he did, in all that time the doctor had come into Steve’s room and after a swift cleaning of stitches, he told him that he could go. He had been in hospital for a fair few hours now and all he really had done was a patch up when looking at it from who he is. A man who can heal ten times faster than the average person once that crap was removed from his body such as bullets.

He was going to be in aching pain for a while, but there was no reason for him to stay in here. Peggy would certainly enjoy playing nurse, as long as he doesn’t ask for too much from her and begins to milk it. Why be on bed rest in a hospital when you can be on bed rest in your cushy, well  _ equipped  _ one that has more than enough technology that can help him, even better than any hospital.

Noah walked in to Steve having on his skin tight long sleeve top that he wore under his suit and wearing the pants from it, he wasn’t going to put the whole get up on, but he had to at least wear something. He walked in and shoved his phone in his back pocket “Hey. Anyone know where my girlfriend and cousin have gone? Hope I’ve not been dumped for a woman”

“At least she's a Carter and Natasha still has taste” Peggy said boldly as she rested her hands on Steve’s waist, then letting out a self inflicted amused smile and shook her head “They’ve gone to get the car”

“Ah” Noah nodded as he took another step in, he looked to the two of them. Noticing how their attention quickly snapped back to each other, the lovey dovey grins on their faces. Acting like teenagers. He was used to them being all in love and shit. But this was different.

“Did the doctors slip you two something?”

They eventually looked to him, then glanced to each other and then back at him. Peggy dropped her hands from his waist and faced him “Erm. Well no actually we...we want to tell you something”

Noah crossed his arms “Okay...what?”

Peggy looked to Steve as they both took a breath, Peggy spun her head around and just came out with it all “A few weeks ago, Steve asked me to marry him”

Noah raised his brows and looked back and forth between the two. She wasn’t cutting any corners or bringing him in slowly that was for damn sure “And I said no”

Noah’s brows then went up even more “Oh...well this story doesn’t sound great so far-”

“But”

“Oh there’s a but”

“Yes there’s a but. But after everything that had happened. I was worrying about what you would think but I also realized I was worrying about myself. Both you and I have reached a revolution from today, am i correct?”

Noah slowly nod as he tried to catch on “Yeah. We could say that”

“And because of that...I have now asked Steve to marry me. And he has said yes, if you can believe that”

They both just looked at him, waiting for his dazed expression to change. Hopefully to something positive and not filled with disgust or anger. Noah took in a breath and as he breathed out, a smile came with it “That’s great”

They didn’t mean to look surprised, it just kind of came out as an impulsive reaction. Noah laughed “Honestly. It’s great. Momma all I want is for you to be happy, and I have never seen you so happy than you are right now” he walked over to her and opened his arms to her “I’m sorry you felt worried about what I’d do. Guess I have that rep now as being a hot head”

“It’s in the genes” Peggy said as she wrapped her arms around him and rubbed his back “But thank you for being happy for me, for us”

“It’s what  _ all  _ of us would have wanted”

Peggy smiled, knowing full well who  _ all  _ were. Peggy patted his back and pulled away, she touched his cheek for a brief moment before kissing it. Noah looked to Steve, with hesitation at first, he held his hand out and said “I want you to be happy too,  _ dad _ ”

Steve let out a breathless grin and brought Noah in for a tight hug, slapping his hand to his back “Thank you, son” he didn’t even need to think about it. It just came out so natural. It was almost like he as been waiting eight months to say. Which was completely true. Though he would never admit it. 

Peggy placed her palms together and pressed them against her lips as she smiled and watched Steve and Noah have a genuine and loving hug. It was something she always pictured. When she was pregnant with him, and for several moments throughout his life. Noah slapped Steve’s back a few times and pulled away “Right. Well. Let’s get home shall we?”

He smiled to them both and then walked out the room to go find Natasha and Sharon. Going to be like a kid all over again and tell them everything before Steve and Peggy could. Who couldn’t be happier at how well that went, at how much Noah was pleased. He even looked a little excited. Having a family again, with Steve and Peggy getting married it was going to make them feel more like a family, something that he had longed for. For over forty years, ever since Daniel died. All he ever wanted was his mom, dad and sister to all be together. And even though his dad now was a different man. It still felt all the more special.

Steve put his arm over Peggy’s shoulder, she looked up to im and then had his lips press against hers. He then kissed her temple and said as she pushed open the door for them both “Come on Mrs Rogers to be” he stopped as he heard her let out a laugh “Let’s go home”

Now that they were _engaged_ , it didn’t mean they were going to go on some pre honeymoon. They had an old war buddy waiting for them to come and save him once and for all. 


	30. Chapter 30

_ Friday 15th May 1964 _

_ “Okay so as we all know. Mother’s day is on Sunday” Noah’s teacher, Miss  Scott. Who died in 1987 aged 78, said as she stood up in front of the class. Walking past Noah and noticing him just sketch on his notebook. But she didn’t say anything. She knew that it’d be rough on him. But she had the rest of the class to deal with too, and the rest of the classes throughout the school were talking about mother’s day. _

_ Noah felt the boy behind him, David Parks, who was now a three time divorced, overweight, retired accountant, kick the back of his chair. A clear dig at the mother’s day thing. Noah closed his eyes for a moment and just let it pass and carried on sketching his mother’s eyes. _

_ Never the look in her eyes from when he last saw her, the eyes that were filled with fear and dread. But the ones he saw daily for ten years of his life, the warm, loving and soft eyes he saw every morning and every night. _

_ It wasn’t something he did often. He sketched, he loved to sketch. Not quite sure where he got that flare from (yet) but he loved it. What he didn’t do often was spend his time sketching Peggy. Only sometimes, and drawing her eyes right now was because he couldn’t shake off the thought of her not being here on mother’s day. _

_ “So in honour of mother’s day. Would anyone like to share things about their mother’s that they are proud of” _

_ One by one, people said the odd things. Mostly just bragging about how much their mother’s earn. Lawyers, Surgeons and all the other stupid jobs that give them the right to gloat. It’s Noah who should be gloating the most. His mother’s dedicated her life to protect these jerks. Protect their jerk parents. The whole damn world. But he couldn’t say that because to this day, her job couldn’t be known. She literally took it to her grave and so the rest of them were gonna have to aswell. _

_ Miss Scott’s eyes then shifted to Noah, seeing how he still remained silent “Noah?” _

_ It went deafeningly silent, Noah felt everyone’s eyes suddenly latch onto him. Noah stopped moving his pencil and looked to her without lifting his head. She gently raised her brows to him and motioned her hand to the class “Why don’t you share something about your mother?” _

_ He lightly scoffed and shook his head, looking back down to the paper “No thanks” _

_ “Come on, let me and the class know on what your mother was like” _

_ Noah looked around the class. He briefly locked onto Allie Jensen. Just about the only good friend he had. Now living in Florida with her three kids and her husband. He liked to keep tabs on people. _

_ Allie shrugged her shoulders, not quite sure on what she could say or suggest to him. Noah looked back to the front and shrugged “She was caring, beautiful. Had the kindest soul, looked out for people she loved and even for people she didn’t know...my ma was like no one else” _

_ Everyone stayed quiet out of sympathy and finding what he said so moving. It was enough to make a lot of the girls swoon for him. Noah was usually cold as ice but he was secretly sensitive. Then, Noah heard David scoff and say “Yeah right. Y’know what I think? I think Momma Carter was really a secret slut, she packed up and abandoned you for another dude and you’ve been lying about it ever since” _

_ Noah cleneched his fits together as well as his jaw. _

_ “David!-” _

_ “What?” He laughed “Like it’s not been done before? Rather my mom be dead than known as a slut” _

_ Allie snarled to him “Shut up David you don’t know anything” she usually kept quiet. But she was sweet on Noah, which he never discovered even to this day. _

_ “Aw shut up, Allie” _

_ Noah felt Daniel leaned forward, he knew he was smirking, then heard him whisper “Am I right though? Orphan”  _

_ Miss Scott quickly tried to defuse the situation “Okay let’s all just-” _

_ Noah suddenly snapped, he shot up, pushed his desk to the side and grabbed David, throwing him across the room. _

_ “Noah don’t” Allie pleaded. But Noah ran over to him and carried on. David tried to get his punches in but he clearly underestimated just how quick and strong Noah was. _

_ Eventually, Miss Scott called in for help and a male member of staff got between them and pulled Noah away, just about managing to hold him off as he tried to fight out of his grip. He was taken to the office. He waited outside, with the back of his head pressed against the wall. He kept his eyes shut and just let out a deep breath. With a rag over his bleeding knuckles. He punched a few things on his way to the office as well as David’s face. _

_ Finally he heard the office door open to his Principal’s office. When she walked out, Noah sighed a small apologetic smile. Angie just stared at him with a soft expression on her face. She motioned her hand to him to tell him to follow her and tucked her hand in her pocket. Noah shot up and followed her down the hall. It was quiet for a moment, Angie looked to him. Scanning his face and then finally said “So you got a few licks in?” _

_ “Most of them” _

_ Angie nodded, looking down to the floor. She said something she knew Peggy would glare at her for “Good. Little twerp deserved it” _

_ “Sorry you got called out from work” _

_ “Well your dad couldn’t get out. Luckily I didn’t have rehearsals today because of a leak in the theatre” _

_ Noah nodded as he cracked his back, Angie took hold of his hand for a moment and lifted it up to look at his knuckles “Better get these cleaned up, I can’t have my godson looking like a hoodlum” _

_ Noah walked over to her side of the car and opened the door for her. Angie smiled to touched his cheek for a moment, before getting in the car, she looked to him and said in a gentle tone “She would have been grateful for what you did. She always was” _

_ “Yeah? Well she sure seemed frustrated with me when I did it when she was alive” _

_ “She was. But afterwards she always said how she found it sweet...thing is now, sweetie, you can get into trouble doing it” _

_ “Big police trouble” Noah nodded “Yeah I remember her telling me...I’m sorry” _

_ Angie gave him another kind smile and patted his shoulder “Come on. Let’s get you home. Where you can wait for your dad to kill you” _

May 12th 2013.

Noah quickly turned off the alarm on his phone and smushed his face into his pillow. He felt Natasha lightly slap his back with the back of her hand “Noah. Get up”

“Nu-uh” he groaned.

“Evie is going to be here in ten minutes” Natasha grumbled. Feeling groggy herself. But when she noticed that he wouldn’t get up, she just slapped his back harder to make him get up. Using her palm to make the effect sting him more “Noah!”

Noah groaned and fell out of bed, his hands breaking his fall. He pushed himself up and stared at her and her stupid smiling face as he walked around the bed towards the bathroom, pinching her ankle as he passed her which made her squirm and laugh.

Noah put on his sleeveless hoodie and gym shorts and made his way down to his level that he shares with Steve and Peggy. He mostly just stays in Natasha’s quarters, he’s still a little scarred in hearing Steve and Peggy  _ celebrate  _ their engagement.

Never again.

He tucked his hands in his hoodie pockets and waited for her. He seriously did not approve in making him wake up this early, but it was for a good cause. It was mother’s day. The first mother’s day in 57 years that they could actually celebrate, actually enjoy. Evelyn tried to, when she was younger that, but Noah wouldn’t have any of it.

_ May 8th, 1960 _

_ Noah burst into Evelyn’s room “Where is it?” _

_ The nine year old took her eyes to Noah, a little scared. She had a feeling he’d get mad. Noah looked at her with stern eyes and spoke more loader “Evelyn where’s my picture of mom?!” _

_ She jumped and pointed over to it on her bed as she sat on the floor with a scrapbook and glue. Noah walked over and quickly took hold of it. Running his thumb over his mother’s smiling face, letting out a sigh of relief that it wasn’t actually lost. He then heard her mumble “I’m sorry…” _

_ “Why did you have it in the first place? This is mine! Evelyn...mine. You’ve got yours” _

_ “I know but...I was gonna make sometin. For mother’s day” _

_ Noah rolled his eyes and scowled “We don’t celebrate mother’s day” _

_ “Why?” _

_ “Because we haven’t got a mother anymore to celebrate it with!” he snapped. _

_ “She’s always going to be our momma!” _

_ Noah held his hand up and shook his head at her “You just don’t get it. Okay? You don’t even remember” those words, were without a doubt the harshest words he had ever said to her. And to this day, he was sorry. But the fourteen year old angst filled boy couldn’t even see how much he had hurt her. He sighed and dropped his hand, putting his hand on the door handle, he warned her one last time before leaving the room “Don’t touch my picture again” _

Noah snapped out at the worst outburst he ever had at his sister and turned as the elevator doors opened and Evelyn walked through the door. Noah smiled and opened his arms to her “Hey, sis”

Evelyn smirked and punched him in the stomach before hugging him tightly. He let out a winded laugh and held his stomach when she pulled away “Must you?”

“Why yes I must” she grinned to him, she raised her brows to him “Did you get the stuff?”

Noah saluted and nodded “Yes ma’am. Right here” he took the bag out of the hamper that Peggy still didn’t know that they had. It had a bunch of stuff that were Peggy’s favorite things. They got her the classic box of chocolates. Her favorites were always Cadbury's from eating them as a kid, so they got a big ass box of Cadbury’s Milk Tray which she is most likely going to devour within a day and not offering a single one to anyone.

They got her a bouquet of her favorite flowers. Lilies, roses and dandelions. An odd mix but there you go, what she wants she gets. It’s been fifty seven years she’s had to live without theirs special treatment. She deserves to be spoilt by her kids. Making up for lost time. It’s the least they all deserve really.

Among that they got her a card and the thing they know she’ll love the most is her favorite bottle of bourbon. Jack Daniels. Reminding them of their late father and surrogate Uncle.

_ “Why do you like Jack Daniel’s so much momma?” the ten year old Noah asked as he leaned on the breakfast bar. Before she could answer, Daniel spoke up from behind his newspaper “Because it reminds her of your old man, buddy” _

_ Peggy looked to Daniel as Noah giggled. Peggy raised her brows and teased “Or maybe it’s because it reminds me of his Uncle Jack?” _

_ Daniel bellowed a laugh “Yeah. That’d be the day” _

Her real answer was along the lines of  _ ‘Now, you’re too young to know the feeling yet. But it leaves a very warm feeling through your body’ _

Now he knows what she means all too well. Another thing they can now bond over. By the time they had everything in order. Peggy was up. She rubbed her eyes as she walked down the hall, in her grey checkered pajama pants and one of Steve’s hoodies warming her up. Wearing her Captain America shield t-shirt that Natasha had bought her as a joke but she actually loved it. The cold feel of her engagement ring that had been on her finger for a month now pressed against her cheek as she slid her palms down her face. 

Peggy saw her two children faffing around, she had no idea it was mother’s day. She even forgot mother’s day was a thing. Peggy pushed open the glass doors and walked down the steps. Seeing the chocolate’s, the flowers and more importantly the bourbon all set up on the kitchen island. She let out a confused laugh “Good morning. Eve, my darling what are you doing here and what is all of this?”

Noah and Evelyn looked to each other and then flung their arms up in the air, saying in unison “Happy mother’s day” 

Peggy let out a louder laugh and then made an ‘aww’ sound as she put her hand to her stomach from being so touched, she walked over to them “Oh I forgot all about this day” she opened her arms to them for a group hug “My darling, you are indeed the greatest children”

Evelyn and Noah wrapped their arms around Peggy and the three of them embraced this moment and let it all sink in. Peggy patted their backs and jumped away from them, in front of the island “Okay so what do I have here” she gasped “Cadbury’s. My favorite!...the flowers! All my favorite flowers! And-” she looked down to the brand of bourbon and took it in her hands. She smiled softly, shaking her head with a grin still spread among her face “Your dad and Uncle Jack would never let me drink this without them making some mocking comment at me. Your dad said I drank it before we got together as a hint that I had a crush on him”

The pair of them let out small giggles, Noah nodded “I know. After you went missing. He swapped his taste for Jim Beam bourbon for Jack Daniel’s. Said he wanted to have as much of you that he could”

Peggy softly smiled as his words touched her heart “That sounds about right. He always was soft” she put the bourbon down and picked up the card.

_ Dear Momma, _

_ It’s been awhile since we wrote this type of card, it feels good. _

_ You were always there of us, throughout our entire lives.  _

_ We’ve been blessed to have you back in our lives and we are never letting you go again.  _

_ We love you with all our hearts. Here’s to our first Mother’s Day after 57 long years, and here’s to many more. _

 

_ Love always, _

_ Your Noah and Evelyn _

It would be a lie if it were said that Peggy did not have a tear in her eye. She had many. Happy, overwhelmed tears running down her face. She let out a breathless smile and looked up to them, with a cracked voice “Thank you. I love you both so much”

Noah leaned to her and kissed her temple “We love you too, momma”

Evelyn smiled to herself. Knowing that this day could officially be seen as a success.

* * *

After a breakfast as just the three of them. Evelyn had to scurry off to work. And although it was Mother’s day. Peggy also had work to do. So to speak, she and Steve were still helping with Bucky getting better. It was only been a few days that his memory was officially restored, with the help of Stark technology. Using the same machine they used on Coulson with his Tahiti planted memory. Instead of planting memories, they just brought the ones that the real James Barnes had forward to his brain, instead of the manipulation that Hydra had done to him, they made him remember his childhood, everything in his life. Most importantly it helped him remember Steve.

They weren't able to restore everything, there were some grey areas in his mind. The war had some patches missing. So he didn’t remember Peggy as well as he could. He had over a year with her. Two months before Steve rescued him here and there, and then ten months after that. But he can’t remember that.

Peggy was fixing her hair in the bedroom when Steve walked in, he ran over to her and scooped her up in his arms from behind, nuzzling his head in his shoulder and kissing her neck, she giggled and slapped his hands. Steve rested his head on her shoulder and looked at her through the mirror “Can you do me a favor?”

Peggy looked at him, also through the mirror “That depends…”

“I just got called out to go and see about my new uniform and weapon enhancement”

“Good. I told them to get onto it. But wat favour? Do you need me to go with you to give my opinion?” she teased with a smirk.

Steve let out a laugh and shook his head “No. I think I can manage with that by myself. What I need you to do is go spend some time with Buck. I haven’t had the chance to see him today and someone needs to go, he’s gotta have either me or you with him for at least an hour everyday before he gets his check up from doctors-”

“Yes, love, I’m well aware of the process” Peggy said softly, touching his cheek. She softly smiled to him and nodded “Alright”

“I’m sure he won’t have another episode” Steve whispered, kissing her cheek, standing up straight and rubbed her back.

Just over a week ago, Bucky snapped when Peggy came through the door, from not knowing her at all at that point. He thought she was going to do something to him. Turn him back into The Winter Soldier or something, it ended up in her choking her with his metal hand. If Steve and Noah hadn’t of gotten there in time, he would have choked the life out of her.

The past few days, it was Steve who went in to visit Bucky. Bucky asked about her and apologized everyday for hurting his best friends girl. And everyday Steve said it was okay, Peggy was okay, she even understood. 

After what she went though, she was certainly weary of people she didn’t know when she first broke out from Hydra. In fact, she may have knocked out a few people who crossed her. That’s why she ended up just staying in the cottage alone. She tried to get back into her life, she went into a cafe one day, after few months after settling. But one guy went to pass her and put his hand on her back as he did so, just out of politeness. He ended up with a broken nose, and all because she thought he was going to grab hold of her and take her back. She understood because she too was scarred on what Hydra did to her for a long time.

Bucky was going to be okay. It was just going to take some time, that’s all.

Steve kissed her cheek and whispered “Thank you”

He went over to the closet and took out his leather jacket, putting it on. He smiled to her and said “I saw what Noah and Evelyn got you. Sweet of them”

“I think they were just excited to actually buy something for their mother on Mother’s day”

“Well, I expect they’ll be doing it for many years to come after this. Make up for lost time and all” Steve smiled and walked over to her “Maybe I’ll get a card for father’s day off him”

Peggy laughed as she ran her hands on his chest, up to wrap her arms around his neck “You never know”

Steve smiled and kissed her lips. Deeply and held her tightly. Gripping tighter to her backside with made her smirk. She slapped his shoulder, gripped to his chin and pushed his face away “Go on, you. Don’t start something you can’t finish”

Steve winked to her and quickly left.

* * *

Peggy walked down and down to the hall where at the need of it was Bucky’s room. It looked like a cell but it wasn’t. Despite the dull grey coloring all over and even having the walls padded, which did turn out to be a good idea. It wasn’t a cell. It had a bed, a comfy one at that. A desk and they had given him things to help him remember. Photographs of his time in the war and journal entries that Steve made in the war that included Bucky. A whole lot of entries.

Peggy looked through the small window that was on the door and saw Bucky st in his chair, reading. She took a small deep breath, knocking on the door first so that she didn’t startle him. When she did, Bucky still jumped a little, he looked up and saw her on the other side, quickly waving her in. Peggy opened the door and as soon as she walked in. Bucky shot up from his chair “Peggy. I’m real sorry for what happened. I honestly didn’t mean-”

“Bucky” Peggy put her hand on his arm, giving him a small smile. She nodded “It’s alright. Honestly, I am perfectly fine”

“I don’t know what came over me” he sighed as he sat back in his chair. Peggy then taking  seat facing him “It’s natural. We knew it was going to take a lot for you to adjust. It did with me, after I got out and even when Noah and Steve came for me I had trouble getting used to this place”

“Yeah Noah. He is…” Bucky put his hand to his forehead as he thought. Peggy remained quiet, he knew he would say _ ‘don't tell me’ _ anyway. He dropped his hand and clicked his fingers “Your son. Right?”

“Yes that’s right” Peggy nodded with a sweet smile.

“And your daughter is yours and the guy you were married to after the war”

Peggy once again nodded “Evelyn yes”

Bucky nodded, he then broke a smile and shook his head as he leaned back in the chair “Man, I can’t believe you and Steve had a kid...I mean I don’t remember you and him being together really...only parts...it’s all still bit of a blur”

“I suppose the most that you can make out from me is yelling at you during training”

“Something like that, yeah” Bucky laughed “You sure as hell tried to keep us in line”

“Well I was kind too. We actually grew to be friends after Steve rescued you from behind enemy lines”

“Steve mentioned that…” Bucky then gulped as he went onto a more serious matter “You...you were also kidnapped. By Hydra. Right?”

Peggy took in a deep breath and then nodded “Yes I was, 1956. Taken right out of my home...they had me for nearly twenty years. But thinking about it, it was nothing in comparison to you”

“Doesn’t matter how long they had me. Doesn’t matter they had me longer they still put us through complete hell”

“That they did”

“Did they...try to do to you what they did to me?”

Peggy shook her head “No. They wanted me to train young girls. Make them into assassins, it was just about the only thing keeping me alive, then when I proved I wouldn’t. Instead of killing me they...god knows why but they just kept me alive...locked up like an animal. Think they were waiting for me to snap cause I’d do what they wanted. Wouldn’t kill me because I’m the best there was”

She then let out a small smile and added “Still am”

Bucky let out a breathless laugh and nodded to her “Yeah, from what I  _ can  _ remember that doesn’t surprise me”

Peggy got onto a more serious topic “How are you?”

He remained silent and just shrugged, Peggy rubbed her palms together and asked the other question of “The nightmares. Are they still bad?”

“How did you-”

“I sure as hell know I had them, so I assumed”

Bucky looked to her and took a deep breath, he wasn’t wanting to tell anyone this. He was hoping that it would go away before it was ever found out. But it seemed Peggy was one of those people who could read people like a book. He clutched his hands together and said “They...the nightmares...they’re more like-”

“Memories” Peggy nodded “They’re memories”

Bucky nodded “Yeah. It feels like I can feel the pain they’ve put me through” he took a breath whilst Peggy just sat and listened, Bucky bowed his head and shook it “Not just that. I was the things I did”

“Things you were  _ made  _ to do”

“Still. I see it”

“I can’t promise you that they’ll ever go away, but in time. I can’t tell you how long it will be but in time, you’ll be able to push the memories down. I know I did”

“You really think I can?”

“You’re stronger than you think Bucky” Peggy said with a small smile. Bucky gave her a grateful look, he looked down at his nervous hands and took a breath, looking back to her “So...how bout you tell me what we got up to in the war”

Peggy let out a breathless smile. She nodded and soon got into the tales the ones they had together. They worked well together in the war, they would always team up to tease Steve. If ever Steve said or did something dramatic, how they’d always look at each other from behind him and rolled their eyes in unison. They had a laugh. As much of a laugh that a war can be. It was the first real conversation that they had since he was in recovery.

Talking about things, not just the war but with what they went through with Hydra. She helped him in a way that Steve couldn’t. Because he knew that she understood what he went through to a certain extent.

Perhaps discussing through thing would help him with his nightmares. He was trying. Really trying. He just prayed every night that maybe he could get back to normal. 


	31. Chapter 31

Bucky had a few more relapses over the next week. It was natural for him to go back and forth. The torture that Hydra put him through was much more brutal. Peggy was stripped of her pride, she was beaten. Sexually abused. All terrible, life scarring things that she will never be able to shake. 

But the torture with Bucky was done differently, they picked with his brain. They’ve played with his past, present and even future. Because God knows he’ll never be the same. He may get to be settled again, have a new life. But the man he once was, it would take a whole lot to get him there. He does want to try, and they all knew that. And they will try to help him in anyway they can.

The good sign was that he was settling down easier, usually it would take a  _ lot  _ to snap him out of it. But the work he had done with Steve was evidently beneficial.

Steve and Peggy tried to balance their planning for the wedding as well as they could. Their work was purely revolving around helping Bucky, Peggy wasn’t even sure what the hell she was anymore. Director? Of what? SHIELD was gone. God knows if they’d ever be able to rebuild, they’d try. Tony wanted to make her feel as useful as possible, he knew all too well that she quickly got bored of sitting around and that made her frustrated.

A frustrated Carter was a bad one to be around. Tony knew Noah and Evelyn must have got it from somewhere, he could never imagine it being Daniel.

The planning went well, so well that they had it all nailed down to a tee within another month. They were set. The wedding would be simple. Quiet.

The guest list contained:

_ Noah + Evelyn (obviously) _

_ Evelyn's children + grandchildren _

_ Natasha  _

_ Sharon  _

_ Tony  _

_ Pepper _

_ Bruce _

_ Maria _

_ Thor (+ Jane) _

_ Clint  _

_ Sam _

_ Coulson (if he can make it from wherever he is) _

And now that he was considered well enough, Bucky.

Bucky wouldn’t be exactly be able to attend the after party or anything like that. His psychologist gave him the clear to attend the ceremony but he still had to take it easy. So the party he would not attend, but he had been back for just about two months now, they didn’t want to push him too far. Baby steps. Nick couldn’t go, not with people having to think he was dead. He had to lay low just in case, but sent his best wishes for the day.

Noah was in the gym late at night, three days before the wedding. Peggy came down the stairs and looked into the gym since it was all glass walls. Watching her son do pull ups almost as fast as his dad. She had something she needed to run by him and what better time than now. Peggy pushed the door open, the blasting music hitting her as soon as she did so. Thank go the room was soundproof, no one would have been able to sleep if not.

Noah didn’t see her, he had his back to her as he pulled himself up on the bar over and over again. It was when she turned the music right down that his attention was brought to behind him. Noah looked over his shoulder and smiled as he dropped his feet down on the mat. Taking deep breaths, he smiled again as he gently swung his arms back and forth to loosen them up “Hey, momma”

“Hi, babe” Peggy said in a quiet, soft voice as she walked over to him “How long have you been in here?”

“Only bout half an hour”

“Can’t sleep?”

Noah shrugged and shook his head “No really, what about you? Nervous for the big day, not long now”

Peggy briefly raised her brows to him with a smirk but then also shook her head “No, I’m not nervous. I’m ready”

“Been a long time coming”

“I suppose so” Peggy picked up a weight and lifting it up and down as she spoke to him.

Noah raised a brow to her with an impressed smirk “Got some guns there, mom”

“Yes” she said with a breathless laugh “I work out. I have to for this line of duty”

Noah let out a small laugh and nodded. He had to give her that. Peggy rubbed her lips together and cleared her throat, looking down to the floor for a moment “Listen, I have to ask you something”

Noah shrugged “All ears”

Peggy put the weight down and scratched the top of her lip as she gathered the words to say “I erm. I was talking to Evie about this the other day, to check with her and she thought it was a lovely idea, of course you know that she’s my maid of honour and I was wondering what role to give to you, my only little boy and…”

Noah raised his brows to her as she paused “And?”

Tears soon formed in her eyes as well as a smile as she said “Noah will you give me away?”

He was taken by surprise, total, utter surprise. He didn’t know who he thought would give Peggy away, in fact he even forgot about that. It was the first time he gave someone away, Daniel gave Evelyn away at her wedding, just months before he past. It was a big deal, a big honour to give someone away.

“Really?”

“I can’t think of  _ anyone  _ better” Peggy said with a tearful smile. Noah also getting the same look in his eyes, clearing throat and wiping them away he nodded as he walked over to her “Course I will, momma” he brought her close and hugged her tightly, even if he was a little sticky from his workout, she didn’t care right now. She just held onto him tight.

Looking at the pull up bar behind him, she slapped his back as said as she pulled away “So” motioning her hand to it, she looked at him “How many can you do?”

Noah smirked at her, feeling the challenge in her tone “More than you”

Peggy scoffed and pushed him aside “Please,  _ junior _ . Move out the way” Peggy hopped up and grabbed onto the bars, effortlessly pulling herself up and saying “You just want to see  _ this  _ old lady sweat”

Noah crossed his arms “Yeah? Wanna put your money where your mouth is”

Peggy dropped herself down and turned her head to him for a brief moment “I’m going to bed”

“But you could...argh” Noah muttered a defeated groan, then hearing Peggy call “I love you” as she walked out of the gym.

Peggy looked over her shoulder and watched him get back to his workout, now with a smile written across his face. Peggy turned back around, also with a smile on her face and walked back into her and Steve’s quarters. She walked into their bedroom and saw Steve fast asleep in their bed. Peggy took off her oversized sweater with the room being too hot all because Steve insisted it was too cold. She crawled into bed and pressed her lips against his cheeks. Steve smiled and grumbled “Hello”

“Oh, sorry I didn’t mean to wake you” Peggy whispered.

“You didn’t. I’ve been awake for a while”

Peggy rested her head on her hand as she propped her elbow against the pillow “Why, darling?”

“Well I woke up and my girl wasn’t next to me. Got a little antsy” he said with a smirk, taking his tired eyes to her. Peggy grinned and tucked her hair behind her ear as she pressed her lips down onto his. Steve put his hands on her waist and pulled her close together. Peggy stroked his neck with her fingernails and then muttered “I asked Noah about giving me away”

“How pleased was he?”

“Very” Peggy smiled “He’s in the gym right now, having trouble sleeping”

“And apparently so have you” Steve laughed as she lay on her back, lay beside him. He smiled to her and slid his hands in hers “You alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I just felt like I couldn’t wait until tomorrow to ask him...I just have a lot on my mind”

“You wish  _ everyone  _ was here?”

Peggy looked to Steve and sighed, giving him a nod She’d give anything for the people of her past to be here. Angie, Jarvis, Howard...Daniel...as weird as that may be but she pictured him being there as her friend, he was a friend above everything, which was very confusing because she did love him and they had a daughter but she couldn’t help but just imagining it like that.

“I do too” Steve mumbled “I know I have Buck but...I wish he was…”

“Back to how he was before he was taken”

Steve nodded “Yeah, I know he’s getting better but he’s still gonna be affected for the rest of his life” he sighed and put his hand on her head, stroking her hair “I wish I could take it away for him  _ and  _ you”

“You don’t have to worry about me, I had twenty odd years to recover by myself, you and the rest of my family just helped me fully recover. You’re helping Bucky, just remember that without you, he’d still be a prisoner of hydra” she kissed his wrist and said as she looked back to him “And I am so proud of you”

Steve smiled, loosely gripping to her hair, he whispered as he leaned towards her again “I love you”

Peggy wrapped her arms around his neck and locked her leg around his waist, rocking her hips against his and then saying in a low, heavy whisper “Well, seen as though we’re both awake…”

* * *

Noah fixed his tie in the mirror, the car was going to come for him and the rest of the groomsmen in merely ten minutes. He straightened his jacket and turned around, calling to Natasha who was in the bathroom “You ever want to get married?”

There was a pause, he then heard her casually call back “Why, are you asking?”

Noah let out a small laugh “Nope” 

Natasha walked out as she put her earrings in “Would you ever?”

Noah smiled to her, he looked at her up and down, in her blood red bridesmaids dress. After all, Peggy’s colour was red. She looked captivating, Noah met her eyes and shrugged “If you’d want me to. Cause...I wouldn’t mind making an honest woman out of you”

Natasha dropped her arms as she walked over to him, putting her hands on her chest and looking into his eyes, a smirk plastered across her face “Well, whenever you feel like doing that feel free” she leaned forward and gave him a light, quick peck in order to not screw up her lipstick, wiping off the little spot he had on the corner of his lips.

Natasha straightened his jacket once again for him “You look very handsome by the way”

“Why thank you, you look stunning. I’m a lucky man”

Natasha muttered a small laugh and nodded as she looked at him up and down, she then looked at him and pinched her brows together “You’re not gonna propose anytime soon are you?”

“No”

“Thank god” Natasha said in a breathless laugh, slapping his chest and then walking over to her drawer to grab her clutch bag and her cardigan. Noah looked to her with his hands slipped in his pant pockets “You going to my mums quarters?”

“Yes and you are not” Natasha said as she opened the door. Noah’s jaw dropped as he followed her “Hey, it’s not bad luck for me”

“We don’t know that. Never said that it is and it has never said that it isn’t, best not to chance it besides you’re leaving with your dad soon”

Thank god that Noah had a quarter of his own and he doesn’t stay in it. Because that was where Steve stayed for the night, they had to keep it traditional. Steve and Peggy did a good job in not seeing each other all day. Noah stopped as they got to the point where they were to part ways, Noah put his hand on her back and kissed her cheek “I’ll see you at the church”

Natasha smiled to him and slid her hand down her arm as she went one way and he went the other. Noah walked down the stairs and entered his quarters where all the gents already were. Bucky, Tony, Thor, Bruce, Sam, Clint and Phil, who did in fact make it. Of course Steve as well. They all looked very snazzy in their suits if he did say so themselves. The seven of eight men looked to him and all murmured a teasing _ ‘wit woo’  _ as Noah spun around as he walked in.

“Fellas. Looking good” Noah nodded to them all. He looked to Thor who he hasn’t see in months “Thor. Good to see you again”

“As it is to see you, Noah” the God nodded as he shook his hand. Noah then looked to Phil and shook his head, laughing as he held his arms open “You sneaky sonofabitch” he hadn't seen him since he  _ died _ .

Phil laughed and accepted Noah’s embrace which was a firm slap on the back “Had to be done”

“If you say so” Noah said as he pulled back. Noah turned to Bucky gave him a tight smile “Bucky, how’re you doing?”

“Okay” Bucky nodded, letting out a nervous breath, he shrugged “Never thought I’d see the day so feeling pretty good”

“Yeah well, it’s good to see you up and about” Noah said, slapping his godfather on the arm. The real one, he didn’t want to hurt his hand by going for the other one. Noah looked over to see Clint downing his beer, he walked over to him and punche him in the gut before jumping on his back and screwing up his hair. Clint shoved him off, Noah laughed and pushed his arm.

“Damn it, Noah”

“What? Were you going out on the prowl?” Noah teased.

“Who else is gonna have slutty wedding sex in this room? Besides your  dad” he laughed. Noah mocked a laugh and then punched his arm. Clint groaned under his breath and nodded “Alright, kind of deserved that”

“Speaking of my old man, where is he?”

“Right here” Steve said as he walked out of the bathroom. They slapped each other on the back as they came in for a tight embrace, Noah pulled back and got a good look at him “Dad. You look good”

“Well thanks, thought I best make an effort. Getting married and all”

“Yeah. It’s kind of important” Noah shrugged. Steve stared at him for a moment and then nodded his head to him as he said “You know I’d die for her, right?”

“You kind of did before” Noah smirked “But yeah I know. Don’t worry you don’t need to convince me anymore, you got me to call you dad I’m pretty sure you’ve achieved everything you needed to”

Steve laughed “Good point”

Tony looked down to his watch “Alright, as lovely as this moment is. The car is going to be here any minute so should we make our way down”

They all nodded and made their way out of the quarters to the bottom of the tower.

* * *

Peggy took a deep breath in the car, slowly opening her eyes and seeing her bridesmaids looking at her with grins on their faces. 

“Are you ready?” Pepper grinned, the car going round the corner to the church. Peggy looked to her and slowly nodded with a grin of her own creeping on her face “More than I’ll ever be”

“Well I’m just grateful you didn’t pick out hideous bridesmaids dresses” Maria said as she looked out the window “It’s always so freaking common that you are made to wear a dress that makes you want to vomit”

Sharon let out a stiff smile and said as she put her hand on Maria’s leg for a brief moment “She’s still not over her cousin’s wedding”

Maria shuddered as she turned her head away and faced the front again. Peggy laughed breathlessly and said “Well, I am glad I have given you a nicer experience”

The car pulled up and Peggy’s stomach dropped. This was seriously happening. After thinking she’d never even see him again, she was now outside a church. Seventy years ahead of her time. Her life has been like no other. She took in another deep breath and looked out the window, seeing her son fixing the end of his sleeves as he waited for her at the church doors.

Noah looked up as the car doors opened. First out Natasha, Noah smirked to her and said as she walked towards him “Fancy meeting you at a church”

“Let’s hope I don’t burn into flames” she lightly laughed. Noah laughed and gave her a quick kiss “Sam’s down there to walk you in, so keep your hands to yourself” Natasha swatted his arm and walked in.

He smiled and nodded to the rest of them “Ladies, looking lovely” he raise his brows to his sister “Beautiful”

“Bullshitter” Evelyn muttered, Noah mocked a gasp “Not in a church”

“Lucky for me I’m not  _ in  _ yet” she smiled and pinched his cheek before walking ahead. Noah then turned his head to his mother, his jaw dropped a little and then grinned, he held his hand out to her “Momma, you look...insanely beautiful”

“Thank you, my love” as he kissed her cheek, she got a good look at him and smiled “You look very handsome” she tilted her head and smiled “You look like Steve”

“My dad” Noah smiled “It’s okay you can say it now”

Peggy grinned at him and nodded “I’m so proud of you” she wrapped her arms around him and held onto him tightly. Noah rubbed her back and gave her a tight squeeze before pulling back and looking at her with a smile written across his face “Let’s get you married, huh?”

Noah held his arm out to her that she linked hers in and he held onto her hand as they both took in a deep breath. He didn’t know why he was so nervous, he just was. Noah kept his hands held to hers and as the classic bride music began to play. Noah walked Peggy slowly down the aisle. With all their closest friends smiling at her, gleaming in fact. Peggy however had her eyes locked on the man at the end of the aisle.

Steve stood there with his hands politely behind his back, he had tears in his eyes when he saw her. She was an angel. An actual angel. He had never seen anyone so beautiful in his entire life. Steve looked to Bucky, who smiled and nodded. As if he was proud of him for marrying her. Steve was pretty proud of himself too. They got the the front, Noah turned and kissed her cheek “I love you, Momma”

“I love you too, Noah”

Noah looked to Steve and slapped his hand in his, pulling him in and slapping his back for the brief hug he had “You too, old man”

Steve let out a small breath through his nose with a smile, then whispering in his ear “Love you,  _ son _ ”

Noah smiled to him and then stepped to the side, letting the wedding actually happen. Steve and Peggy looked to each other, he smiled and whispered “Beautiful”

Peggy smiled and threaded her fingers with his. Looking away as her eyes filled up. The priest began to start and everyone took their seats. After the traditional vows to be made, there was then their own. Steve and Peggy turned to each other, their hands still linked together. Peggy gave him a teary, breathless smile and then took in a deep breath as he muttered which made her let a small laugh slip “I’ll go first”

Steve then took a breath, also feeling nervous now. But when he looked into her eyes, he suddenly felt calm. As if it was just her in the room “I know how you liked to save our long winded, sappy speeches for privacy, so I’ll try and keep it sweet” he smiled to her as she once again let out a light laugh “Peggy. Let’s be honest I thought I didn’t have a shot with you first time we met but you saw me like no one else did and of  _ course  _ I saw you”

Steve let out a gentle breath and smiled, shaking his head, he said as he looked back to her “I am the definition of a blessed man, I was blessed to have the chance in being with you, I have been blessed by having a child with you. And I am blessed by finally marrying you...I promise to be the man you have always believed in me to be. I’ve loved you for  _ seventy  _ years. Every promise I have ever made to you I  _ vow  _ to keep. You're the first and last woman I have ever been in love with and I will continue to love you for every other year to come”

Peggy’s cheek began to hurt from her grin, she let go of his hand for a brief moment as she wiped her tears and then said breathlessly “That’s a hard act to follow”

Steve let out a small laugh and rubbed his lips together as he focused his eyes on her. Peggy regained her composure as she took a deep breath and gently smiled to him “I dreamt of this day, so many times. You are the person I have waited for my whole life, quite literally in fact” she laughed breathlessly and then carried on “I have loved you ever since you jumped on that  _ stupid  _ dummy grenade. You opened your heart up to me and I opened mine to you, which in the end was the greatest thing I have ever done. I have never stopped being proud of you, it isn’t just you that is blessed. I am too. I was given back my children, my life...and you. I am so grateful I have  _ this _ .  _ Us _ . Again. Becoming your wife is finally something I can check off my list” she gently laughed, with her eyes still filled up “I love you. I’ll always love you. And I can’t wait to live out this life together”

Steve grinned to her, bringing her hand to his mouth and pressed is lips against it, then teasing her with a whisper “Decent follow up”

Peggy scrunched her nose up to him and shook her head as the Priest then asked for Bucky to walk over with the rings, which he managed to do splendidly. Steve paused them before they put the rings on “I did a little something”

Steve tilted the ring to the inside and let Peggy see. He had them engraved.

_ The Right Partner _

Peggy’s eyes filled up again straight away, she looked up to him with a watery smile and shook her head to him “You’re a bloody sap”

Steve laughed to her and nodded “And I wear that title with pride” he flashed her a flashy grin. The ring she was holding, for him, she saw too had the quote engraved in it.

As Steve slipped the ring on her finger, he vowed to her “ With this ring, I marry you and bind my life to yours. It is a symbol of my eternal love, my everlasting friendship, and the promise of all my tomorrows”

Peggy smiled to him and then took hold of his hand, repeating the same words to him. They both turned their heads to the Priest as he said “By the power vested in me, I now  _ finally  _ pronounce you husband and wife” he turned his head to Steve and said with a gentle expression “You may kiss your bride”

Steve bent his knees for a quick moment as he whispered with a relieved expression “Finally” he put his hands firmly to her back and pulled her close, pressing his lips passionately against hers, Peggy wrapped her arms around his neck. Hearing their friends rise from their seats and cheer for them. Peggy pressed her forehead against his, her eyes still closed, she whispered to him “Never let go”

“I promise” 


	32. Chapter 32

_ January 19th 1946 _

_ Peggy sat on the bed in the doctor’s room, her palms rubbing roughly together as she waited for the Doctor to come back with her blood test results. This was so stupid. So she was feeling a little sick? So she was having some headaches. Howard didn’t have to be so dramatic and make her get checked out. It was the last thing she needed right now was test results. Steve had been dead for just three months now, he was all that she had on her mind She didn’t need this faffing about. _

_ Finally the Doctor came in with her records and came out with it rather abruptly “Miss Carter, it seems you are going to be a mother” _

_ Peggy’s heart flipped as her stomach dropped, her eyes widened “I’m sorry what?” _

_ “You are just over three months pregnant, fifteen weeks to be exact” he showed her the results, down there in black and white. Peggy rubbed her forehead and let out a deep breath. Just trying to let the news process into her brain, her hand fell to her heart, feeling it race like never before. _

_ “Congratulations” he added “Is there anyone we can call for you? Perhaps the father?” _

_ “The father…” Peggy whispered to herself, her eyes suddenly filling up, she shook her head as she wiped her subtle tears “No, the father...died in the war” _

_ “Oh” The doctor grumbled as he frowned “I am sorry to hear that, but now you can look at this child as having a piece of him with you” _

_ Peggy gave him a tight smile at his attempts to make her feel better about this. _

_ After a while in sitting in silence, she got up and left. Driving home in silence, walking into her apartment in silence and sitting back down on her bed, again, in silence. She looked to the picture of Steve that she kept in her draw. She couldn’t help but cry.  _

_ In all the ways she imagined getting pregnant with his child. This was for sure at the very bottom of her thoughts. Her bottom lip began to wobble uncontrollably and her breathing became erratic as she sobbed to God “Why did you take him away?” _

_ She curled up into a ball and pressed the photo against her forehead, crying out again “I need you, Steve. I can’t do this alone” _

Peggy ran her fingers through Steve’s hair as he kissed her neck. His body pressed down against hers as they lay in bed. His lips returned to hers, gently locking his fingers in her hair. Peggy looked into his eyes and smirked “You’re sure you’re okay with this?”

“I’m positive” Steve muttered as he kissed her gently “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“There’s no guarantee-”

“I know. But with this opportunity how could we say no?”

Peggy smiled, she bit her lip before kissing him and whispering against his lips “Make it count then, Captain”

* * *

Later on, Noah walked in his mother and father’s quarters to find Peggy sat on the bed going through files on the Stark tablet. Noah slapped his hands on the bed posts “Hey”

Peggy looked up at him and smiled “Hello, darling. Everything alright?”

“Yeah. Just letting you know that everyone is coming round for some drinks after work. Maria’s birthday and all. She insists she doesn’t want anything special but will accept booze”

Peggy muttered a laugh as she fixed her eyes back on the tablet “Of course she will”

“What’re you doing? Sorting your honeymoon photos into files” he teased. Causing Peggy to swat his leg and sit back into her original comfortable position, tucking her hair behind her ear “No, if you haven’t noticed I am the director...I’m not quite sure what I’m the director of anymore but the role still stands”

Noah tilted his head to her and knelt down against the end of the bed “Mom. You dealing with this whole SHIELD thing alright? It’s been what? Three months since it happened and you’ve hardly really commented about it”

Peggy looked up at him and shrugged “What can I say? What I’m trying to focus on right now, what we all should be focusing on, is rebuilding. No harping on the past. That will get you nowhere”

Noah smiled to her and nodded “You raise a good point, momma” he kissed the top of her head and pushed himself from the bed “Well I just came here to let you know what’s happening tonight”

“It’s very much appreciated” She mumbled, still focusing on the tablet. Noah headed for the door and suddenly stopped at the chair beside it. His brows pinched together as he slowly picked up the material that caught his eye “Um, mom?”

“Hm?” after a moment Peggy looked up, seeing what Noah was holding, her mouth opened slightly. Noah investigated it and laughed “Why does dad have overalls? Like a mechanic?” he looked to her “Why…” suddenly he came to the realization that he hadn’t picked up a piece of clothing. He had picked up a  _ costume _ .

Noah cringed and quickly dropped it down on the chair, feeling like he needed to burn his hand “Oh, mom!” he opened the door and then said and she heard him say he walked through the rest of the quarters “God damn it”

She shouldn’t laugh. But it was kind of funny. He didn’t think so. He moved into Natasha’s quarters with one of the reasons being he was scarred by  _ hearing  _ them have a good time together. Now he can never step into that bedroom because that is where he picked up one of his dad’s role playing outfits to satisfy his mother’s needs. He felt like he needed to burn acid onto his brain to try and fry out the awful mental picture he had just received.

Sometimes, he wished that they all didn’t live in the same tower. God forbid he ever walked in on them, because then he would really pack his bags and move. Maybe only down to the basement of the tower but still, he would be making a statement.

Fifteen minutes later, Peggy heard her bedroom door open once again. She looked up and smiled as she saw Steve gazing at her with a smirk written across his face. He held his arms out and slapped them together as he walked towards her. Peggy nodded to his implication and then held her hand out to stop him. Steve raised a brow to her as he halted, Peggy pointed over to the mechanics outfit and smirked.

_ August 13th 1946 _

_ Too early. Her baby was too early. Peggy’s baby wasn’t due for another six weeks. Even though the Doctors assured her that the baby should be okay. She wasn’t convinced, a part of her felt like they were just saying that to keep her calm. Which perhaps was the best thing for them to do. _

_ She was in labour for just a few hours, quite quick as far as labour hours go. It was every bit as painful as people said it was. But she knew it would be worth it. She looked to the side as she continued to push out her child and half of her was hoping Steve would be stood beside her and take her hand. Like it should have been, she squeezed his hand so tight he’d feel like it would break, but he would take the pain and just support her. But that wasn’t going to happen, instead, she was alone. _

_ Kind of. Mr Jarvis drove her here given her water broke when they were out. But he stayed in the waiting room, he may have fainted if he saw even a fragment of what was happening, plus it wasn't his place. _

_ Peggy’s baby boy was born after seven hours of labour. But something was wrong, Peggy watched as the Doctor’s glanced to each other as they were wrapping up the baby in a blanket. As she caught her breath, Peggy’s brows pinched together and asked “What is it? What’s wrong with him?” _

_ As one Doctor took her baby away, the other came over to her “It seems your baby is having trouble breathing” _

_ “What?” She gasped, shaking her head and saying in a crying panic “No. Please” _

_ “We are going to do everything we can, Miss Carter. I assure you” _

_ Peggy covered her eyes with her arm and whimpered in her sobs “No…” she then whispered “Please don’t take him away from me too. Please, God, please” _

_ She had to lie there in that hospital bed for hours, just waiting. Waiting for a Doctor to come in and tell her whether her child was going to be alright or whether he had died. She had Angie by her side eventually. She got there as soon as she could. Peggy didn’t say much, she mostly just wanted to company, but she was scared that she couldn’t find anything to say. _

_ It was some miracle that he survived. Maybe the serum that ran through his veins was a factor to help him survive, and having that in itself was a miracle, because without it, he would have died. The Doctors brought him in when he was well enough, wrapped up in his blue blanket. Seeing him didn’t stop her from crying, but it was a different kind of crying. He was so small, a skinny little thing that just reminded her of his father. Peggy ran her finger over his bald baby head and kissed him “My darling” _

_ “Pegs he’s beautiful” Angie gasped, rubbing her friend's arm as she admired her godson. _

_ Peggy nodded as she gazed at him “Yes he is. Just like his father” her baby boy gripped onto her finger, which made her heart pound “I promise I will keep you safe for as long as I live” _

_ If she couldn’t get a second chance at keeping one of her men safe, she would make damn sure she kept this little one safe. _

_ Suddenly. She didn’t know how the hell they got here but the Howlies burst in the room with balloons and flowers. Peggy let out a watery grin “What on earth are you lot doing here?” _

_ “Howard called us when you went into labour and we got here as fast as we could, Peg, we wouldn’t miss this” Dugan smile as they all walked in. Pinkerton tilted his head and laughed “Blimey. He’s the look of Steve isn’t he?” _

_ “Scrawny as hell you mean” Dugan bellowed. Then getting slapped in the stomach from Gabe “Come on man, you can’t say hell in front of a baby” _

_ “Sorry” Dugan shrugged. Peggy just laughed and then nodded to his hands behind his back “What are you hiding, Timothy?” _

_ Dugan laughed and then pulled behind his back a tatted teddy bear “It doesn’t look like mch but we wanted to get the kid something and when you’re on the road like us there isn’t many fancy stores” _

_ Peggy smiled to him “Thank you, all of you, he’ll love it” _

_ Sawyer folded his arms and nodded to her “So, Peggy, what’s the kids name? Steve Junior?” _

_ Peggy let out a breathless laugh “No, that would be fairly obvious. I’ve decided Steve to his middle name...as for his actual name” she looked down to her son and remembered the names that she and Steve talked about for their hypothetical children. After all they did plan a future together. She smiled and nodded “Noah. Noah Steven Carter” _

* * *

Peggy looked over to Noah as he walked over to the bar and get himself and Steve a drink. Till she was nudged by Maria and they swung back into conversation.

Sharon quickly makes her way over to Noah. Who was behind the bar with a bottle of bourbon in his hand, ready to make Steve and himself a drink.

Noah looked up and smiled to her “Hey Shaz I-”

“Put the bottle down” Sharon said, putting her hands on the bar and leaning forward to speak in a more hushed tone. Noah’s brows pinched to her, laughing due to confusion “What?”

“Put the bottle down”

“No I'm making myself a drink”

“Noah put-”

“What is it?” He asked, too busy endorsing the whiskey as it stared at him. Waiting to open it up to take in the fumes. Sharon looked to the bottle, then to him. Seeing he wasn't going to put it down she just leaned forward and said in a whisper “Nat’s pregnant”

Noah looked to her, just stared. The reason she wanted him to put the bottle down become evident as he dropped it and it smashed to the floor. He looked over her shoulder to the rest of their group looking at him, as Sharon had her head in her hands and shaking her head, he held his hand up “Sorry. Slipped”

He looked back to Sharon as she lifted her head and looked at him, like he was stupid for not listening to her. Which he was. Noah leaned to her and spoke in a quiet tone “ _ Pregnant _ ?”

“Y’know. Up the duff. Bun in oven. Usually last bout nine months and then a small human is-”

“But  _ how _ ?”

She stared at him even more “Do I have to draw you a picture?” He just looked at her bewildered. He was too wrapped up in the original concept that he didn't catch onto her mocking. Sharon rolled her eyes and separated her hands, slowly heading towards each other“Well Noah. When two people love each other-”

He slapped her hands away from mocking him “Stop it. Where’ve you gotten this impression from?”

Sharon nodded her head to the other side of the tower “I may of walked past and saw it with a pregnancy test in her hand”

Noah leaned his hands against the bar and bowed his head as he whispered “Shit”

“Would it be such a bad thing? If anything it’d be a damn miracle I’d say considering-”

“No-I mean yeah it’d be a miracle but the timing I’m” he let out a nervous laugh and shook his head “I’m not ready to be dad”

Sharon looked at him oddly as she grabbed a bottle of beer “You’re sixty six years old”

Noah rolled his eyes to her “I’m also just a twenty six year old guy who’s only been with his girlfriend-”

“Who you’ve been in love with for seven years” Sharon mumbled her breath as she took the beer to her lips. Noah pause and just gave her a look before adding on “I just-I dunno. Can you imagine Nat and I being parents?” He said with a laugh.

Getting a nod from Sharon straight away, gulping down the beer and saying “That kid would be cool as hell are you kidding me”

“Are you just trying to boost my confidence?”

“When have I ever tried to do that?” Sharon scoffed. It soon fell silent, getting a more serious brain on, Sharon nodded and said in a soft voice “You should go talk to her, she’s probably freaking out more than you are. She’s the one that’s gotta carry a human her stomach”

Noah looked over to his mother, laugh and joking. Slapping her hand on Maria’s shoulder and pushing her at whatever it was she said that tickled her so much. He know how she’d feel, she’d be over the damn moon. Yes she was already a grandmother, but having a grandchild from her first child would always be an exciting surprise. Especially when no one thought it’d be possible. Noah pushed himself up from leaning against the bar and walked up the stairs towards the quarters.

Noah quietly knocked on the door and peered his head in. Natasha was changing her shirt as she walked into the living room. Seeing him come in, she gave him a warm, casual smile “Hi”

Noah said nothing, he just walked over to her and hugged her, rubbing her back “Sharon told me”

Natasha’s brows pinched together “Sharon? What?”

Noah pulled away and took a deep breath “I know we didn’t think this could happen, but hey, this is miraculous when you really think about it”

Natasha remained silent, she just stared at him. Looking genuinely confused “Noah what the hell are you talking about?”

Noah raised his brows to her and kept his eyes locked on hers “You're pregnant”

Natasha’s brows then  _ flung  _ up, she couldn’t help but laugh “Since when?”

“Since today? Well maybe not today but-”

“I am completely lost... _ oh _ that” Natasha said as it finally hit her, Noah nodded with a nervous smile lingering on his lips “Yeah that. And it’s-”

“Not mine”

Noah stopped his sentence and just stared at her, at first he couldn’t tell if she was kidding or not “Not yours?”

“No. She passed me when I went into the general toilet downstairs. I found it in buried in the back of the cupboard” she walked over to it and held it up “It’s blank, not been used but it sure as hell isn’t mine”

Noah suddenly let out a huge sigh. Of  _ relief _ . Letting out a breathless smile, he put his hand to his heart “Jesus. I almost had a heart attack, oh god” he laughed again. Clearly thinking they had dodged a bullet. It was clear as day. Natasha looked down to the test and shook her head “Thanks for showing how you really feel”

Noah’s little smile soon diminished “What?”

Natasha looked back up at him, holding it up again “It would have been a damn miracle, you’re acting as if the fact I can’t get pregnant is a god send to you”

“What? No. No. I just thought it would have been too soon-”

“Whatever the time, it was have been the time because the real reality is I will never have a time. Clearly that’s an appeal of me to you since kids aren’t your thing” Natasha slapped the test against his chest and went to walk to the bedroom.

“Nat, come on that its not true it’s just-” he didn’t get the chance to finish since she just slammed the door. Noah took his hand away from his chest with the test in his head and groaned to himself.

That went well. Noah went out the quarters, with the blank test still in his hand to show Sharon, who raced over to the bottom of the stairs with a grin. Noah stared at her as he reached the bottom and then held the test up “Not been used and  _ not _ hers”

“Not?”

“Not”

Sharon pulled an awkward face “Oops” she took it out of his hand and examined it “That’s weird. Maybe it’s Pepper’s. Technically she’s the only woman who can...y’know”

“Wouldn’t surprise me” Noah sighed.

“Oh well”

“No, not _ oh well _ , she’s pissed at me now”

Sharon looked at him with a confused look written all over her face “Why?”

He remained silent, which spoke for itself, Sharon sighed, already with an  _ ‘Oh Noah’  _ face at the ready “How did you react when she told you it wasn’t hers?”

Noah pursed his lip and muttered out like a troubled school boy “Kind of...let out a sigh of relief and-”

“Made it pretty clear you were relieved”

Noah just shyly nodded. Sharon scoffed and tapped her hand to her head for a quick second as she said “Dumbass”

“ _ Dumbass _ ?”

“Yes! Even if it was a relief to you, you don’t tell your girlfriend who evidently really can’t have children. Idiot”

“You’re the one that told me she was pregnant!”

They were soon joined by a third party, Peggy walked over to them. Putting her hands on her hip as she saw them bickering when over at the bar “What’s going on?”

Sharon sighed and quickly said “I told Noah that Natasha was pregnant. Found her with  pregnancy test”

Peggy’s eyes widened “What?”

“Relax, Ma, she’s not pregnant. Still can’t”

Sharon quickly swatted his chest and pointed to him “And guess what genius did? Made it clear as day to her that he was relieved”

Peggy looked to him and said in a sigh “Oh, you dumb arse”

Noah dropped his jaw to her, thinking at least she would have his back, even just a little bit “Momma-”

“I’m sorry love but you are”

Noah pointed his hand to Sharon “This is technically her fault”

“Don’t point at your cousin” Peggy softly demanded with an exhausted expression lingering on her face, feeling likes she was in an episode of  _ The Fosters _ . Noah dropped his hand and sighed, Sharon waved her hand to him and shook her head “Okay, Nat will come around as she always does. Main thing is” Sharon held the test up, that Peggy latched her eyes onto, then hearing Sharon say “Will Pepper come back positive?”

“Pepper?” Peggy questioned.

Noah shrugged “Well yeah. Presuming so”

“Maybe it’s Hill” Sharon said as she wiggled the test in her hand. Noah rolled his eyes “It is not Hill”

“Why not?”

“Um maybe because she doesn’t get out enough?”

“Sorry mister 1946-”

Peggy soon butted in “It’s not Pepper’s or Maria’s...it’s mine”

Sharon and Noah’s head snapped to Peggy, who now looked very awkward as she stood between the two of them, with her hands on her lips and looking back and forth. Seeing her son like slightly mortified and confused. Peggy ran her fingers through her hair as Sharon lowered the test in her hand down and waited for Peggy to explain.

Peggy sighed, closing her eyes and then said “I was going to take a test at the end of this week”

“But...I thought you couldn’t…” Noah said with a sense of uncertainty.

“Well I can’t, but Tony thinks he has come up with a way to change that. If he achieves it it’d be bloody revolutionary. At first he was going to ask Natasha but I said no. I wanted to protect her from the disappointment in case it failed”

Noah looked to Sharon and then back to his mother, he put on a smile and took her gently by the arm “Can I talk to you?”

Peggy glanced to Sharon and rolled her eyes as she was pulled away at a reasonable distance. Noah glanced to Steve and asked “Does he know you’re doing this?”

“You mean your father, my husband? Of course”

Noah scratched the back of his head and sighed, Peggy kept her eyes on him “Speak your mind”

Noah looked back to her and shrugged “Why’re you doing this? Being Tony’s guinea pig may be all well and good but what if it actually works? You’ll be pregnant, mom”

“Yes, I’m well aware how the system works”

“So you and dad you want another kid?’

“Would that be so wrong? Given the situation that is our lives?”

Noah looked away from her and rubbed is forehead “Is two kids and a bunch of grandkids not enough for you?” he looked back to her and shrugged “Are we not enough?”

Peggy sighed and put her hands on his arms “Listen to me, my darling, you were always enough. This has nothing to do with not being satisfied it’s just...you  _ are  _ our son. But we never had the chance to raise you together, Steve missed out on being a father and I, in the end missed out in being a mother. Ten years compared to an entire life is not long enough, and to be honest. I regret the decisions I made when it came to Steve when I had you. I regret the way I handled it, I was so focused on giving her a normal life that I deprived you of the truth and even though he wasn’t present I deprived Steve of being a father”

“Is that what this is about? You feel... _ guilty _ ? You were always a mother, you never stopped being a mother”

“But you understand, don’t you? You understand where I am coming from?”

Noah stopped for a moment and took another deep breath through his nose before eventually nodding “I do”

“Would it be so terrible?”

“Suppose not. Just, kind of weird to wrap my head around”

Peggy understood that too. Of course it would be. She expected it would be no matter when he found out. Peggy shrugged and nodded to him “I understand that, and you know...it’s quite a long shot that this will work. Steve and I just discussed it and said that if he wanted someone who couldn’t have children to try this new.. _ thing _ out then we would be more than okay to take that chance again, I realized now that I should have sat you and Evelyn down and talked to you about it but it all happened rather quickly”

Noah let out a small smile and then held his arms out to her “Don’t worry about it, Ma” he wrapped his arms around her and rested his head on top of hers “We get it”

Peggy looked over to Steve as she hugged her son and noticed how he was looking over to them both, she just gave him a small smile and nodded to him.

When Tony came to them with this little proposal, they didn’t take it lightly. It wasn’t just a decision they immediately came up to. They loved Noah more than anything. Peggy loved both of her children with every fiber of her being. But the thing that they couldn’t help but almost  _ regret  _ is the fact they never had the chance to raise their child together. They were finally married, now maybe they could finally have that part of their lives as well. If they had a chance, they would be fools not to take it. 


	33. Chapter 33

_**note: three year time jump** _

* * *

_10th January 1959_

_The fire wasn’t major but it did manage to hit one place. The heart of the SSR in fact. Peggy’s office. Daniel walked through the main floor of the building as people picked up the scraps. Jack approached him and sighed “Could’ve been a lot worse”_

_“Suppose...but…” Daniel looked over to Peggy’s office and then heard Jack grumble “Yeah I know. But don’t worry. We’ll rebuild it”_

_“Yeah. But try telling that to him” Daniel muttered, Jack looked over and saw Noah crouch down the floor in Peggy’s office, he began to cry. Which is when Daniel made his way over to him. Daniel put his crutch against the wall and crouched down beside him, saying in a sympathetic sigh “Hey, buddy”_

_“It’s gone” Noah cried in a broken whisper._

_Daniel sighed and glanced to the wreckage that was now his wife’s office and rubbed Noah’s back, looking back to him “I know it’s gone. But don’t worry. We're going to rebuild it and it’ll be just how it was, okay?”_

_Noah shook his head and whimpered a small cry. He took in a deep breath and then cried “I...I miss her. I miss mom”_

_Daniel rested his head in his hand and closed his eyes. Taking in a deep breath to try and keep his composure. He didn’t want to cry. Not in front of his son, not now. Daniel swallowed thickly and looked back to Noah “I miss her too, buddy”_

_He pulled Noah close and held him tight as Noah cried into his chest. Daniel rested his head on top of Noah’s “I’m always gonna miss her, it’s going to be okay though, Noah. In time”_

_“I just want her back” he cried, clutching harder onto Daniel._

July 13th 2016

Noah sighed as he looked down to Daniel’s grave, he leaned down and placed down the flowers he had bought in front of it. Standing back up straight, he put his arm over Peggy’s shoulder “Happy birthday, pop”

Peggy gently smiled and rested her head on his shoulder as she whispered “Happy birthday, darling”

Noah rubbed her arm and looked to over to Evelyn. As well as paying respects to her dad on his birthday. She always went over to her girlfriend's grave, the one who died in the army. Peggy looked to her as well and asked “Is she alright?”

“Yeah she’s fine” Noah said in a whisper, looking back to Daniel’s grave “She just likes to visit her when she comes and see’s dad”

Evelyn folded her arms and took in a deep breath before walking back over to them. Giving them a smile as she did so “We should start to get a buggy up here. I’m not as young as I used to be”

“You’re doing okay” Noah shrugged. The three of them soon walked away from Daniel’s grave after having one more minute of silence as walked down the path back to the car. Evelyn looked to Peggy “Mom have you asked him again?”

“Yes. But you can give it a go”

Noah groaned and rolled his eyes “Guys please-”

“You’ve been dating her for three years. Been in love with her for _ten_ now. Why is there not a ring on her finger?”

“Because!...we’re...taking things slow”

Peggy and Evelyn both groaned a small laugh and shook their head. Peggy slapped his stomach and pulled away from him “Noah, honestly”

“Look” Noah laughed, suddenly feeling slightly embarrassed, he jogged in front of them and turned to them, giving them a shrug “Marriage just isn’t as big of a thing to us than it is to you. We’ve never thought about it. Well I did once when you and dad got married”

“Which dad?” Evelyn questioned.

Noah frowned to her “ _Steve_ dad”

Evelyn smirked and nodded. Noah looked back to Peggy and shook her head “Besides. It isn’t as if we’ve got kids lined up”

“She’s had the surgery” Peggy shrugged “You can have a baby now”

“Yeah mom’s a walking example for that” Evelyn teased. Patting her on the back “Unless that three month old back at the tower is just one she swiped”

Peggy rolled her eyes to her but shrugged as she had a point. Yes, the machine that Tony had come up with did work. It made it possible for Natasha and Peggy to have children again. Steve and Peggy didn’t get pregnant straight away, but from various test Tony could 100% confirm that she was once again able to have a child. So they decided to wait, then, october last year she found out she was two months pregnant.

Then after long conversations, Natasha went through with the testing and Tony was able to do the same for her. But they were yet to have children. They weren't even sure if they ever would, but having the option wouldn’t hurt.

* * *

After dropping Evelyn off, they made it back to Steve and Peggy’s house, they moved out when Peggy fell pregnant. Not too far, like Evelyn, it was only a ten minute drive from the city. With the pay she gets from being the Director and him from being Captain America...they got a pretty sweet deal on a suburban house. It was quite quint, but it was more than enough for them. The two of them walked in, Noah saw Steve holding his little sister in his arms and rushed over to them. Steve handed his daughter over to Noah “How was it?”

Noah shrugged as he kissed his baby sister’s chubby cheek “Like visiting a grave”

Steve rolled his eyes and looked to Peggy who just shrugged to him. Peggy walked over to her daughter and gave her a loving kiss to then whisper “Hi, Grace, hi darling”

Steve clapped his hands and said as he sat down “Okay, baby. Come on. One more time. I can do it this time I’m sure”

Peggy rolled her eyes and groaned as she sat down facing him “Steve, darling, please I want to eat”

“Just, one more shot” Steve held his arm up on the table. Peggy looked to Noah, who gave her an encouraging nod. She rolled her eyes again and then took hold of his hand once she sat down. Steve and his attempt at beating her at arm wrestling was really getting to him. They really went for it, Peggy sighed and pressed her hand hard against his, eventually, his arm gave way and once again he lost. Peggy stood up as he cursed under his breath “Damn it. The serum…”

“It’s not the serum” she laughed breathlessly as she opened the fridge. Then narrowing it down back into the tone she had with soldier’s back in the army when they were failing at something “You were pressing down on your elbow too much that causes your arm to give way, hence you lose”

Noah watched as his father sat there and tried to figure out what she was explaining in his head. He couldn’t help but laugh, then his attention was brought back to the little bundle of joy in his arms. He raised her above his head and kissed her forehead as he brought her back down. Blowing a raspberry against her cheek which made her giggle, Peggy looked over her shoulder and watched as he sat down with her and just adored her. He was always a good big brother, when Peggy first brought Evelyn home from the hospital. Noah took Evelyn out of her arms, as carefully as he could and told Peggy to go put her feet up whilst telling Daniel to grab the bags and take them upstairs. He was _five_.

Five and already he was locked into big brother mode. Now he was doing it all over again with a fresh new baby.

Steve looked over to Noah and said as he walked over to Peggy “Is our son getting some kind of baby fever?”

Peggy choked on her drink, covering her mouth with her palm. Slapping his chest as she tried to find her words to speak. Steve laughed and gripped to her hand that was against his chest and then heard Noah call from the couch “Whatever you’re saying about me that’s made her do that shut up!”

“Yes, shut up. It’s too soon for any of that” Peggy managed to say in a whisper. Steve pulled her close and kissed her “You are aware you already have a daughter who has kids _who_ has kids...right?”

Peggy rolled her eyes. Sometimes being a great grandmother was really a way to swing a teasing punch at her. She bit her lip and pressed her fist against his stomach before kissing him again.

Noah looked from his parents back to Grace and raised his brows to her and whispered “You’ll have to get use to that. They do that a lot” he stared down at her little baby face and muttered as he fixed her shirt “Cept you won’t be kissing any boys till you’re thirty. Maybe even forty. Till then I’ll have to beat them off with a stick. Though you’ll probably find out when you’re old enough that boys are dumb, girls are pretty great though. So do with that information what you will”

He pouted to her and nodded before kissing her little forehead once again before cradling her in his arms. Has he thought about the whole Brady Bunch life ever since it became a possibility? Sure. Any grown man or woman would do. He knows Natasha has, but they never talked about it. They’ve been together for three years and yet they have never talked about marriage, not since Steve and Peggy’s wedding anyway and that was hardly even a conversation. And as far as conversations for children? They had one small conversation about it before Natasha went through Tony’s testing. Which also was just kind of a conversation that was like a shrug and a _‘why not?’_.

It was just the way they were. As a couple and even when they were just friends. They had meaningful conversations, but rarely meaningful conversations when it came to their future. Maybe because thinking far in the future scared them. Whenever Noah used to plan out his future, it would go the wrong way. He planned on being trained to be an Agent by his mother ever since he was little, but clearly that went wrong. He planned on marrying Sarah Mayfield but that also clearly went wrong. One thing after another went wrong for him so he stopped planning his future and decided to live in the moment, which is what he has been doing.  

But maybe doing that was coming back to bite him in the ass. Evelyn was shockingly right, Noah had been in love with Natasha for so long before even realising it. Maybe he should do something about it? Maybe that life was for them but they just didn’t know it yet. Maybe they had to take that leap to find out.

Noah got a text from Natasha, after reading it, he walked back into the kitchen with Grace in his arms and said he handed her back over to Steve “I gotta go. Nat just text me”

“She calls and you come running” Peggy teased.

Noah scoffed a small laugh and nodded “Yeah” he then nodded to Steve “Like _he’s_ any different”

Steve looked to Peggy as he lightly patted Grace’s back and shrugged “Got a point”

“Maybe” Peggy smirked, she looked back to Noah “Alright. Well we will see you later?”

“Course” Noah leaned forward and kissed her cheek, he kissed the back of Grace’s head and slapped Steve’s arm “Got your hands full dad. I’ll see you guys later”

He grabbed his jacket from the coat hanger by the door and left.

* * *

Heading back into the city after dropping his car off at the tower garage. She sent him cryptic _instructions_ on where she was. It didn’t take him too long though, eventually, he found her in the sea of people through the New York streets and made his way to her. Giving her a loving smile as she saw him approach her “Hey, pretty girl”

“Hi” Natasha held out in front of him a wrapped gift. Noah took it from her and looked at it with curiosity. He walked with her as soon as she began her steps “Uh thanks, Nat, but my birthday isn’t till next month-”

“Ten years and you seriously think I don’t know when you’re birthday is? It’s not a birthday present just open it up. Nothing special”

Still confused, Noah opens the gift. He smiled, laughed even. A new, fresh copy of Catcher In The Rye. Natasha smirked as she heard his amusement and said “Yeah, you borrowed me your copy and I may have accidentally dropped it in the bath”

“Great”

“It was worn and tatted anyway” she shrugged.

“Maybe I like worn and tatted” he smirked “Fell for you didn’t I?”

Natasha made an obvious fake laugh as she turned to him, momentarily walking backwards as she pointed to him and said “Just be grateful I got you a new copy”

Noah nodded and she turned back around, stood beside him “I am, thank you”

“I can see why it’s your favorite”

“So you liked it? I told you”

Natasha tapped the book and commented “I _loved_ Holden. He was sarcastic, moody, cursed like a sailor but is desperate for a bit of love deep down”

“You’re going somewhere with this” he muttered as he looked up.

“He reminded me of you” Natasha bumped her shoulder with his. Noah stared at her, gazing into her eyes and threaded his fingers in hers. Which was acceptable for them. But any other PDA was just not for them. Noah looked down to their linked hands that were gently going back and forth, Natasha then asked “How was it today?”

“Fine” Noah shrugged “Dropped Eve off and went in mom and dad’s, mostly to see Grace” he grinned. Natasha steered them over to the hotdog stand to their left. Luckily he was wearing his jacket that had really big pockets so he could put his book in it.

As they waited, Noah brought up a subject “Eve was testing me about the marriage thing again Mom got a few words in too”

Natasha hummed a laugh as she traded her money with the hot dog from the guy “As usual”

“Yeah…” Noah glanced to her and said as he too took the hot dog and followed her “I didn’t even know what to say”

Natasha shrugged as she then said “What we always say, it’s just not our thing”

Noah then slowed down and stopped, she didn’t even notice at first. But she then stopped when she heard him innocently ask “Why _isn’t_ it our thing?”

Natasha took a breath and turned back around to him “We’ve talked about it”

“Yeah. Once. Briefly” Noah said with a light laugh and a soft expression. He shrugged at her and said “I waited seven years for you. You’ve been my best friend for ten. So would it be so terrible for us to...promise to be best friends for the rest of our lives?”

Natasha gave him a light smile and said “So what you’re saying is it is your thing. Marriage”

“I’m in love with you sue me” Noah shrugged. Causing Natasha to let out a breathless laugh. Noah kept his eyes on her and said with more confidence “Now you said on the day of my folks’ wedding...that I can feel free to ask, remember?”

Natasha looked at him, then nodding as she slowly blinked “Mm-hm”

Noah took one step forward. Not even caring the fact that they were stood in the middle of a busy sidewalk “So I guess I’m feeling free. Why not? Why not have a day all about us, could think of it as another party. And _we’d_ get gifts this time”

Natasha laughed and shook her head at his idiotic ideas. She then looked back to Noah as he said “If we ever want a family-”

“We don’t know if we’ll ever want kids” she said with an airy laugh.

“I know, but we might somewhere down the line and...I don’t know, marriage could be a good start...come on, Nat, what harm could it do?”

Natasha gently smiled to him and walked over to him, now standing right in front of him, he smiled at her lovingly and whispered “Just do it. Just marry me”

Natasha stared at him, let out a breath through her nose and shrugged “Alright”

Noah raised his brows to her and smirked “Yeah?”

Natasha just nodded to him, she dumped her hot dog in the trash and wrapped her arms around his neck, a waste of $2...she wasn’t that hungry anyway. She pulled him forward and kissed him. Noah smiled against her lips and whispered “I thought PDA was a no go”

“We can make an exception” Natasha whispered, kissing him again. They stood there together, hugging each other tightly. Natasha pulled back after a moment and smirked to him “You know, we’ve broke a tradition of ours”

“Oh yeah? What?”

“You see, the new uncharted game has just come out and we’re yet to play it”

Noah gasped and shook his head “Aw hell what’ve we become?”

“I say we get back to the tower, download the sucker. Get a huge load of junk food and play until we pass out like the good old days”

“We’re really that couple who celebrates through video games instead of going back and doing it the expected way?”

Natasha laughed breathlessly, slapping his chest as she pulled out of his hold and said as she took hold of his hand “And since when were we those people who did the things that people expect? Besides, they'll be time for that too”

Noah smiled to her she lead him down the sidewalk, heading towards the tower. But not without cutting through central park just for the extra walk together. They rarely got times like this.

* * *

In the evening. Natasha and Noah headed to Steve and Peggy’s place. They didn’t want to make a big deal out of their little arrangement. But they knew that Steve and Peggy would. As always, they wanted to handle this strategically. As Noah out the key into the handle he said “Okay so remember”

“You’re gonna tell your mom first then head back into the living room and tell your dad. Yeah, I got it”

Noah smirked to her and winked. They walked in the house, before walking into the living room. Noah stopped them as he just watched for a minute. He was witnessing his parents, holding hands whilst sat on the couch, with Grace fast asleep in the bassinet beside them, whilst watching _University Challenge_. Ever since Peggy discovered the channel that airs British shows she has never changed it since. Steve wasn’t complaining, he actually quite like them. Especially the game shows like this.

Another question came up, and Steve actually gave a reasonable smart answer, one that shocked everyone in the room, even those who he didn’t know was present. Peggy turned her head to him with her jaw dropped “If that’s right now I will...kiss you so hard”

Steve lightly chuckled to her and they both looked back to TV when one of the contestants. He got it right. Steve, however, got it wrong. They both let out a defeated moan, Peggy looked to him and scrunched her nose to him “No kiss for you”

Steve tutted and shrugged “Next time”

Noah then walked forward, making him being in the house actually aware to them “Sitting in on a saturday night watching University Challenge...you guys really are old aren’t ya?”  

Both Steve and Peggy just chuckled and rolled their eyes. Peggy slapped Steve’s leg and then pointed to Noah as she stood up “I’m actually glad you’re here, despite the mockery. I have to show you something”

Noah looked to Natasha, who gave him a shrug and a nudge “Go ahead, I’ll happily spend my time with that pretty thing over there” she glanced over and saw Steve smirk in a smug manner, she then too smirked and elaborated “I was talking about Grace, Steve”

Steve frowned at her and then sunk further down into the couch. Peggy bumped her hip with Natasha’s as approval of her amusing tone and pushed Noah in the direction that she wanted to take him in. Peggy guided him to the kitchen, and stood him in front of a phone that was attached the wall. At first, Noah smiled out of politeness. He then pulled an awkward expression “Jeez. Ma, it’s great but um. I know you kinda missed out during the whole what’s _in or out_ thing but, phones on the wall are definitely out now”

Peggy smirked to him but didn’t comment, she just took the phone off of the hook and dialed in a number. He didn’t have to wait long to try and understand. He understood very well when the walls divided and showed a staircase that went down. Peggy turned her head to him and saw his jaw dropped. As she began to walk down, he shook his head and whispered “The hell is this? Spy kids?”

He followed her down and saw that what she had down here was a secret office. It was like SHIELD had come in and threw up everywhere, in fact, some of the things she had in here were more advanced than what she had in her office at the tower. They stood in the center of the room, Noah put his hands on his hips and nodded as he looked around “Impressive. You have something like this back in the day?”

Peggy stared at him and after a moment of silence she said with a brow raised to him “Are you really going to stand there and act like you didn’t use to sneak into my office? You used to leave your grubby little hand prints all over the place”

“Yeah, well” he muttered as he kept looking around “I wasn’t exactly the subtle agent back then...so this place is for? Work at home?”

“I thought it would come in handy. Especially with Grace, when she’s old enough to go to nursery it will be better but for now, it will certainly come in handy”

“Got it all figured out” Noah complemented, giving her a small smile. He the clapped his hands together and rubbed his palms. Better now than ever, Noah took a small breath “Momma, I gotta tell you something”

Peggy looked to him and gave him a small smile “Alright, what is it, darling?”

Noah folded his arms, after pausing for a moment he said in  a slow, quiet voice “Natasha and I...we’ve decided to...get married”

Peggy brows flung up as well as her eyes going wide. Her hand clutched to his arm “You’re engaged!”

“Well. I guess that’s the term but we aren’t doing any of that whole rehearsal dinners or throwing big parties. We’ve just come an agreement”

Peggy nodded, dropping her hand from his arm “Romantic”

Noah laughed breathlessly “What I mean is, we’ve agreed that we aren’t gonna do the whole traditional thing, we’ve just said that one day we will...we’ve got _a one day_ ”

Peggy’s expression then grew into a warm, pleased smile. She nodded to him “Well, that does seem more like the two of you than the whole big white wedding”

Noah put his arm over her shoulder “I hope that means I’ve got your approval”

“Oh! Of course you do!” Peggy exclaimed, realising that she was yet to congratulate him. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged onto him tight, rubbing his back “I am so happy for you darling, you couldn't have asked a better woman”

Noah smiled fondly and gave his mother a squeeze “Never thought I’d get here. Having you, Steve and Nat...I’ve been lucky”

“After everything we have been through I’d say we deserve it” Peggy pulled back and cupped his face, scanning every aspect of her son’s face with a loving smile still on hers, she didn’t say anything, she just leaned up and pressed her lips against his forehead. Then hugging him again. Noah rested his chin back on her shoulder “Thank you, by the way”

“For what?”

Noah shrugged and whispered “Just about everything”

Peggy smiled and held onto him tighter. When she pulled away, Noah noticed a tear on her cheek, he lightly laughed and shook her head as he reached for her cheek and wiped it away “Aw, ma, don’t cry”

Peggy took hold of his hand and shook her head “It’s just…” she looked back to him and then put her hand on his cheeks, pressing their foreheads together “You were the only thing that kept me going for so long...when I thought I was all alone, you came along”

She looked back to him and gently smiled “I don’t know where I would have ended up if it wasn’t for my baby boy, with those gorgeous blue eyes and that smile that just made my heart melt every time I see it, even now. So thank you, for _everything_ ” another tear ran down her cheek as she said in a _happy_ cry “Thank you for being my son”

Noah flashed her his smile that made her heart melt and pulled her in for another tight hug.

* * *

They headed back upstairs, when they did. Steve raced over to Noah and hugged him, slapping him on the back “Congratulations” Noah looked at Natasha who shrugged and held her hands up “I’m sorry! It just kinda slipped out, but I told him that it wasn’t a huge deal”

“Yeah she did” Steve said, patting Noah on the back once more and then pulling it away “Still. I’m happy for you. Big step”

“Guess you could say that” Noah said with a sweet smile. He walked over to the living room and fussed over Grace with Natasha. Before Steve and Peggy made their way over, Peggy wrapped her arms around Steve’s waist and pulled him close, pressing her lips immediately against his. Steve smiled against her lips and hummed before pulling away and saying “What was that for?”

“And since when do I need a reason?” Peggy whispered, getting up on her tiptoes and kissed him again. Their arms switched, his went around her waist as her’s went around his neck as he kept her tighter with him. Peggy smiled to him and rubbed her lips together before saying “You know, I quite like you”

“Well thank you, I’m warming up towards you too”

Peggy stroked the back of his head, gently scraping her fingernails through his hair which sent shivers run down his spine. She smiled at him with warmth and nodded “We’ve done good for ourselves, Mr Rogers. After everything, we’ve still managed to come out on top”

Steve smiled fondly at her and nodded “We sure have, Mrs Rogers”

“Now, I know I’m not a woman who needs rescuing...but all those years ago deep down I did, and aside from Noah and Natasha I…” she sighed and said in an overwhelmed breath “God I was so happy that you were the one to do it”

Steve kissed her forehead and added onto her point “You’re right, you don’t need rescuing. But whenever, on the rare occasion that you do. I’ll always be there to save you. Because you rescue me everyday”

Peggy closed her eyes and whispered with a grin as she pulled herself into him again “God the way you look at me sometimes” she kissed him again and hugged him tight, then whispering into his ear “I love you”

“I love you, baby” Steve gave her body another squeeze before they were called over by Noah “Hey! We didn’t come round here, give you guys our news for you two to just go off and _snuggle_ ”

Natasha turned her head to him “Make out”

“Yeah well, in light of them being my parents, let’s go with snuggle” Noah muttered, turning his head to her as he finished the sentence, Natasha screwed her nose up and him and pinched his cheeks with her hand, mocking him again in some way. He took hold of her wrist and threw her hand away from his face before then kissing her temple. Steve and Peggy walked over to them hand in hand and sat on the cough that was at the end of the one Noah and Natasha were sat on.

The room filled up with laughter, smiles and all round happiness. And that was something Noah never thought he’d get, not like this anyway. He spent so many years, from being the age of ten, alone. Even when he was surrounded by people who loved him, he was _alone_ . The void of losing Peggy was too much for him to ever feel like he’d get that true happiness. But now here he was. He had the chance to know his real father and despite the way he was in the beginning with him, he was glad that they found him. Without Steve knocking on his door with that file of Peggy. Noah never would have looked into it, he would have one through his long _long_ life thinking that Peggy was dead and he never would have found her. Peggy would have lived her _long_ life alone, thinking her entire family was dead.

His life wasn’t any less complicated, but it was a hell of a lot happier. He was now committed to his best friend, one day he was going to marry her. A new sibling to watch grow up and protect. And his mom.

After 55 years, he had his mom back.

After 55 years. Noah Carter. Was once again… _happy_.

And about damn time too. 

* * *

 

**And that's it for this story! Without getting too sentimental I just want to say thank you to everyone who has stuck with me on this story and given me such lovely words about it. This story was the first big story I have really written and it meant a lot to me so I'm sad it's over but all good things must come to an end. I hope you all loved Noah Carter's journey and character as much as I did in making him.**


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